Demographic characteristics and comorbidities in patients with oral mucous membrane pemphigoid and pemphigus

Oral autoimmune blistering diseases (AIBDs) are a group of rare, chronic disorders causing different symptoms on the oral mucosa. The most common oral AIBDs are mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV). The aim of this study was to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as comorbidities, of patients with oral AIBDs in Southern and Western Finland.

This retrospective two-center study included patients diagnosed with AIBD with oral symptoms treated at Helsinki University Hospital and Turku University Hospital between the years 2000 and 2022. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, Chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, and likelihood ratio tests.

Of the 115 patients (65.2% women, mean age at diagnosis 66 years) analyzed, 86.1% were diagnosed with MMP. Patients with PV were significantly younger than patients with MMP. Most of the patients who had available lifestyle information reported being non-smokers and non-alcohol users. Approximately one third of the patients had an autoimmune or neurological comorbidity.

There is a female predominance in oral AIBDs. Patients with MMP were older at diagnosis than patients with PV (p < 0.001). Comorbidity comparisons between diagnostic groups were limited by the small PV subgroup and should be interpreted as descriptive.

MMP and PV are rare chronic AIBDs that can cause painful oral symptoms and thus impair quality of life. With an aging population and increasing immigration, the prevalence of these rare diseases in Western countries including Finland may rise. Therefore, early recognition and diagnosis with proper treatment and follow-up is needed.