Cicatricial pemphigoid (benign mucous membrane pemphigoid)

Abstract

Cicatricial pemphigoid is a chronic mucocutaneous bullous condition. It is a heterogenous autoimmune disease, characterized by the production of autoantibodies against basement membrane zone antigens. The target antigens in cicatricial pemphigoid appear to be lamina lucida proteins involved in human keratinocyte adhesion to extracellular matrix. Cicatricial pemphigoid primarily affects persons older than 40 years and appears to have a 2:1 predilection for women, without racial or geographic bias.