Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026
Technique of Conjunctival Biopsy and Direct Immunofluorescence for Diagnosing Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid
Published on: June 17, 2025
Repeat Conjunctival Biopsy after Immunomodulatory Therapy for Ocular Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid
Paul A Gaudio1,2,3, John Sinard3,4, David R Shield1,2,3
1a Department of Ophthalmology , Hartford Hospital , Hartford , Connecticut , USA.
Purpose:
To evaluate whether conjunctival biopsy findings in patients with ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) persist as positive or revert to negative following treatment with immunomodulatory therapy (IMT).
Methods:
Patients with biopsy-proven MMP were treated with IMT for at least 2 years before undergoing repeat conjunctival biopsy for immunofluorescence microscopy. Their records were reviewed and findings evaluated to ascertain which patients' biopsies showed antibody deposition on the conjunctival basement membrane.
Results:
Following 2 years of IMT, conjunctival biopsies showed persistent antibody deposition in two patients, and were negative in four patients.
Conclusions:
Conjunctival biopsies in patients with ocular MMP may show reversion to inactive disease following IMT. Post-treatment biopsy might be clinically useful as a means of evaluating the efficacy of therapy in this chronic disease.
