Linear IgA Bullous Dermatosis in Korea Using the Nationwide Health Insurance Database

(1) Background: Linear immunoglobulin A bullous dermatosis (LABD) is a rare autoimmune, subepidermal blistering disease, characterized by linear IgA deposits along the epidermal basement membrane. LABD is idiopathic and is associated with medication and systemic autoimmune diseases. (2) Methods: We investigated the demographic characteristics, disease course, causative agents, and associated diseases in Korean patients with LABD. The Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database was used to obtain data. We identified 670 LABD cases between 2010 and 2022. (3) Results: The annual incidence of LABD was 1.3 per 100,000 persons, with a higher prevalence in individuals ≥60 years old. The patients were treated with dapsone for 30.7 ± 56.7 days, had 1.3 ± 0.7 hospital visits, and were hospitalized for 19.8 ± 19.7 days. Risk factors, including malignancy, commonly preceded LABD. Antibiotic use, specifically vancomycin and third-generation cephalosporins, was a risk factor. The mean age of LABD diagnosis was 55.9 ± 21.7 years. (4) Conclusion: This is the first published study to assess a nationwide cohort for LABD. The incidence of LABD was higher than that in other studies. Most case reports have linked LABD with the administration of specific antibiotics; however, this study shows there were more associations with other conditions.

Successful Treatment of Linear IgA Disease and Ulcerative Colitis With Sulfasalazine

Linear IgA disease (LAD) is an uncommon autoimmune blistering disease that has been associated with medications, malignancy, and other autoimmune diseases, such as ulcerative colitis (UC). In this case report, a patient with a history of UC developed characteristic LAD lesions. While dapsone is considered first-line therapy for LAD, the treatment team opted for an underutilized, plausibly less toxic, and more simplified treatment regimen with sulfasalazine, successfully utilizing the two distinct actions of sulfasalazine's components - sulfapyridine and 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA) - to concurrently treat both the LAD and UC symptoms. The authors discuss the pathophysiology of LAD and UC and expound on the mechanistic theory of their association. Additionally, the pharmacodynamics of sulfasalazine and considerations of its side effect profile are examined.

Ulcerative colitis complicated with linear immunoglobulin A bullous dermatosis

Linear immunoglobulin A (IgA) bullous dermatosis (LABD) is a rare disorder involving subepidermal blistering characterised by IgA deposition along the basement membrane. The clinical features of LABD are variable but can include bullae, vesicles and erythematous lesions. Histopathology reveals formation of subepidermal bullae and linearly deposition of IgA in the basement membrane of the epidermis. LABD has been reported as a rare complication of ulcerative colitis (UC). We report the case of a young woman with UC complicated by LABD. The latter manifested as vesicles with erythema on almost the entire body. A biopsy of the skin lesions revealed linear IgA deposits in the basement membrane according to a direct immunofluorescence assay. Prednisolone administration resulted in clinical remission of UC but poor improvement of skin lesions. Oral administration of diaminodiphenyl sulfone led to improvement of blisters. Thereafter, abdominal and skin symptoms did not recur and she was discharged from hospital.

Linear IgA Bullous Dermatosis Preceding the Diagnosis of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Ulcerative Colitis: A Case Report

Linear IgA bullous dermatosis (LABD) is a rare autoimmune blistering disorder seen in the pediatric and adult populations that is often linked to a medication, infection, or underlying gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, or autoimmune disease. In this study, we describe the case of a 23-year-old white man whose presentation and diagnosis of LABD ultimately led to the discovery of underlying primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and ulcerative colitis (UC). His dermatitis resolved with topical steroids and dapsone, and he is undergoing systemic treatment for his UC and PSC. This exceptional case further validates the association between LABD with UC, strengthens that with PSC, and underscores the importance of alerting clinicians to consider conducting a systemic workup in addition to thorough medication history on making the diagnosis of LABD.

Subepidermal autoimmune bullous diseases: overview, epidemiology, and associations

Subepidermal autoimmune bullous diseases of the skin and mucosae comprise a large group of chronic diseases, including bullous pemphigoid, pemphigoid gestationis, mucous membrane pemphigoid, linear IgA bullous dermatosis, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, and anti-p200 pemphigoid. These diseases are characterized by an antibody response toward structural components of the basement membrane zone, resulting in subepidermal blistering. The epidemiological features of these diseases vary substantially in different regions of the world. Observational studies investigating comorbidities and associations among patients with these diseases are inconsistent and sometimes inconclusive. This review provides a brief overview regarding each one of the subepidermal autoimmune bullous diseases. In addition, it summarizes the most recent understanding of the epidemiological features and associations of this group of organ-specific autoimmune diseases.

Humoral Epitope Spreading in Autoimmune Bullous Diseases

Autoimmune blistering diseases are characterized by autoantibodies against structural adhesion proteins of the skin and mucous membranes. Extensive characterization of their autoantibody targets has improved understanding of pathogenesis and laid the basis for the study of antigens/epitopes diversification, a process termed epitope spreading (ES). In this review, we have reported and discussed ES phenomena in autoimmune bullous diseases and underlined their functional role in disease pathogenesis. A functional ES has been proposed: (1) in bullous pemphigoid patients and correlates with the initial phase of the disease, (2) in pemphigus vulgaris patients with mucosal involvement during the clinical transition to a mucocutaneous form, (3) in endemic pemphigus foliaceus, underlining its role in disease pathogenesis, and (4) in numerous cases of disease transition associated with an intermolecular diversification of immune response. All these findings could give useful information to better understand autoimmune disease pathogenesis and to design antigen/epitope specific therapeutic approaches.

Linear IgA bullous disease of childhood: an experience from Kuwait

Linear IgA bullous disease of childhood is a rare autoimmune blistering disease. We report eight patients with this disease seen in our autoimmune bullous diseases clinic over a span of 12 years. They constituted 89% of the total number of those with linear IgA bullous disease of childhood seen during this period, with an age-adjusted minimum estimated incidence of 2.3 cases/million population/year. Males outnumbered females by a 1.7:1 ratio. The age at onset ranged between 10.5 months and 13 years, with a mean of 6.8 +/- 4.17 years. The majority of patients (62.5%) had moderately severe disease. Fifty percent of patients were observed to have an association with either an autoimmune disease (Crohn disease and post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis in one each) or an infection (beta-hemolytic streptococcal and hepatitis A virus infection in one each). The treatment of choice was dapsone alone or in combination with systemic steroids. Seventy-one percent of patients achieved complete remission by the end of 2 years. The study highlights the significance of systematic clinicoepidemiologic surveys from different regions.

A case of linear IgA disease occurring in a patient with colonic Crohn's disease

Linear IgA disease has been reported in association with inflammatory bowel disease, in particular ulcerative colitis. We experienced a case of linear IgA disease that occurred simultaneously with colonic Crohn's disease in a 55-year-old woman and rather unusually both skin and bowel disease improved in tandem. We report the presentation, investigations and subsequent improvement of our patient and speculate on possible causes.

Sarcoidosis in a patient with linear IgA disease

We report a patient with four conditions in association with linear IgA disease (LAD), only three of which have been reported previously; these latter are ulcerative colitis, autoimmune thyroid disease and carcinoma of the colon, although the carcinoma may have been caused by the ulcerative colitis in this case. Recently, our patient also presented with respiratory symptoms and was found to have sarcoidosis as well, a previously unreported association of this autoimmune bullous disorder. The aetiology of this development may be related to the patient's HLA status or possibly to his treatment with the immunosuppressive agent cyclophosphamide; it is also possible that it is coincidental.