[Pemphigus and pemphigoid]

Abstract

This comparison of the two diseases--pemphigus and pemphigoid--aimed particularly on points of actual interest. Are thus reviewed: (1) the research on the influence of racial or genetic factors in pemphigus vulgaris; (2) the striking differences between the immunological criteria of the two; (3) the clinical polymorphism of pemphigus: besides pemphigus superficialis, non-bullous forms, usually milder, of various types: herpetiformis, circinate ... are now being described; (4) the importance in all cases of eosinophilic spongiosis; (5) the clinical monomorphism of classical bullous pemphigus; on the contrary, the differences, both from clinical and prognostic points of view, in localized bullous pemphigoid (from the benign mucocutaneous form to the severe scarring disease) and in bullous pemphigoid of children; (3) the cases of genuine pemphigus induced by drugs (D-penicillamine, rifampicine) and the problem of the pemphigus-like antibodies; (7) bullous pemphigoid, UV light and practolol; (8) the outstanding association of two major immune diseases, pemphigus vulgaris, myasthenia and thymoma; (9) the mixed bullous dermatoses: pemphigus vulgaris and dermatosis herpetiformis (to separate from herpetiform pemphigus), bullous pemphigoid and dermatosis herpetiformis (bringing up the unsolved problem of mixed or intermediate forms of the two diseases), bullous pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris, exceptionally seen, and (10) some news on therapy.