Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
Granulocyte-dependent Autoantibody-induced Skin Blistering
Published on: October 12, 2012
Childhood pemphigus vulgaris successfully treated with rituximab
Amrinder J Kanwar1, Gitesh U Sawatkar, Keshavamurthy Vinay
1Department of Dermatology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Insights
Rituximab offers a new treatment for severe pemphigus. This study shows successful remission in an 11-year-old boy with childhood pemphigus vulgaris unresponsive to other therapies.
Area of Science:
- Immunodermatology
- Autoimmune Blistering Diseases
- Pediatric Rheumatology
Background:
- Pemphigus is a severe autoimmune disease affecting the skin.
- Refractory cases require novel therapeutic approaches.
- Limited data exists on rituximab in pediatric pemphigus.
Observation:
- An 11-year-old boy presented with childhood pemphigus vulgaris.
- The patient did not respond to dexamethasone pulse therapy.
Findings:
- Rituximab treatment led to complete remission in the pediatric patient.
- This case demonstrates successful rituximab use in a young pemphigus patient.
Implications:
- Rituximab may be a viable treatment option for pediatric pemphigus.
- Further research is warranted to confirm rituximab's safety and efficacy in children.
- This case expands treatment possibilities for refractory childhood pemphigus vulgaris.
Abstract:
Pemphigus is a potentially fatal autoimmune epidermal bullous disorder. Rituximab is a novel therapy for the treatment of refractory pemphigus. However, there is limited clinical data on safety and efficacy of rituximab in pediatric age group. Herein, we report an 11-year-old boy of childhood pemphigus vulgaris who failed to respond to dexamethasone pulse therapy and was subsequently treated with rituximab and achieved complete remission.
