A five year retrospective study on pemphigus and pemphigoid.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Immunodermatology
• Autoimmune Blistering Diseases

Background:

• Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and bullous pemphigoid (BP) are distinct autoimmune blistering diseases.
• Understanding their epidemiological and diagnostic characteristics is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare key epidemiological and diagnostic parameters of pemphigus vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid.
• To establish a baseline for future comparative studies in Greek and other populations.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study of 73 pemphigus vulgaris and 94 bullous pemphigoid cases over five years.
• Analysis of patient demographics, incidence by age and sex.
• Evaluation of diagnostic sensitivity using indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and direct immunofluorescence (DIF).

Main Results:

• Pemphigus vulgaris incidence was higher in women; bullous pemphigoid incidence was similar in both sexes.
• PV incidence peaked in the sixth decade, while BP incidence peaked in the eighth decade.
• Indirect immunofluorescence showed higher sensitivity for PV, whereas direct immunofluorescence was more sensitive for BP.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences exist in the sex distribution and age of onset between PV and BP.
• Immunofluorescence techniques demonstrate differential sensitivity for diagnosing PV and BP.
• This study provides valuable comparative data for these autoimmune blistering diseases.