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Published on: October 12, 2012
Nail destruction in pemphigus vulgaris
A Kolivras1, P Gheeraert, J André
1Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Saint-Pierre, Brugmann and HUDERF, Brussels, Belgium.
Abstract:
Involvement of the nails in pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is rare and is usually seen when the disease is severe. The most common clinical manifestations are chronic paronychia and onychomadesis. Finger nails are more frequently involved than toe nails. We report a case of severe and persistent PV in which an exacerbation was preceded by an erosive and destructive lesion of the right hallux nail unit. A nail bed biopsy was performed to rule out a subungual tumour. The image of suprabasal acantholysis yielded the diagnosis of PV. This localisation and clinical manifestation of PV have only been reported once.
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