[Recent advances in autoimmune blistering disease]

Systemic application of steroids is the first-line treatment. In intractable cases, immunosuppressants, plasma exchange therapy and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy are performed. We recently experienced the efficacy of high dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for pemphigus by double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. We also examined the disease course of pemphigus patients who have been treated at our outpatient department. Of the 69 patients, 26 (37.7%) were found to be free from the disease (without symptoms or circulating pemphigus antibody and not requiring any treatment for more than 1 year).