Clinical manifestation variability of bullous pemphigoid

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a rare autoimmune blistering disease predominantly affecting the elderly population.

The present study aims to identify clinical factors that may influence outcomes of BP, including skin phenotype, serology, mucosal involvement, pruritus, and triggers.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 cases with BP registered from January 2019 to December 2022. The Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Activity Index (BPDAI) score was used to assess disease intensity. The BPDAI-Pruritus score and a modified Brest questionnaire were used to document pruritus. Anti-BP180 and anti-BP230 autoantibodies were regularly recorded. Peripheral blood eosinophil counts were documented during flare-up and remission phases of BP.

Of the cases, 81.4% were identified with bullous BP, 12.9% with nonbullous BP and 5.7% with localized BP. Oral involvement was documented in 17.1% of cases. Increased peripheral eosinophilia was prominent in the nonbullous phenotype and returned to normal level during remission in both phenotypes.

The outcomes of BP depended on the disease phenotype and trigger types. Bullous BP showed more intense disease activity, while nonbullous BP demonstrated more intense pruritus. BP associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) or psoriasis manifested as a more severe disease, predominantly with the bullous phenotype and pruritus, compared to cases without comorbidities. New triggers, including SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination, were documented (Tab. 6, Ref. 43). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: bullous pemphigoid, nonbullous pemphigoid, pruritus, comorbidity, eosinophilia, new triggers.