Bullous Pemphigoid in Children: Sustained 8-Year Remission After Short-Course Corticosteroid Therapy

This article reports a case of bullous pemphigoid (BP) in a 5-year-old child who achieved sustained remission for up to 8 years following short-course systemic corticosteroid therapy, aiming to provide observational evidence for the clinical management of childhood BP. The child initially presented with pruritic rashes and blisters, which were once misdiagnosed as infectious rashes; finally, the diagnosis was confirmed by direct immunofluorescence (DIF), histopathology, and other examinations. After treatment with systemic glucocorticoids combined with anti-infective therapy, the skin lesions basically resolved within 2 weeks, and the tapering and discontinuation of drugs were completed within 26 weeks of treatment. During the 8-year follow-up period, no recurrence or treatment-related complications were observed. This case suggests that although childhood BP is prone to misdiagnosis, it responds well to glucocorticoid treatment, and long-term remission can be achieved with a relatively short treatment course; however, this model still needs to be verified by large-sample studies.