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Ruggiero A, Megna M, Villani A, Comune R, Fabbrocini G, di Vico F. Strategies to Improve Outcomes of Bullous Pemphigoid: A Comprehensive Review of Clinical Presentations, Diagnosis, and Patients' Assessment. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2022; 15:661-673. [PMID: 35444441 PMCID: PMC9014958 DOI: 10.2147/ccid.s267573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most frequent autoimmune bullous disease mainly affecting elderlies. Diagnosis usually results from clinical features, histological examination, and the quantification of circulating typical autoantibodies, due to its higher incidence in elderly patients, bullous pemphigoid treatment and management still represents a challenge due to the higher frequency of several comorbidities in this group of patients, which may also be linked to a reduced tolerance to BP treatments. Hence, an early diagnosis and a prompt correct treatment are mandatory to reach better clinical outcomes and improve as much as possible BP outcomes. Herein, we carried out a comprehensive literature review about the known clinical presentations, diagnosis, assessment and monitoring procedures used in daily clinical practice in patients with BP, to better define strategies to improve as much as possible BP clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Ruggiero
- Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Matteo Megna
- Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Alessia Villani
- Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Rosita Comune
- Section of Radiology and Radiotherapy, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, 80138, Italy
| | - Gabriella Fabbrocini
- Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Francesca di Vico
- Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80131, Italy
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2
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Moro F, Fania L, Sinagra JLM, Salemme A, Di Zenzo G. Bullous Pemphigoid: Trigger and Predisposing Factors. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E1432. [PMID: 33050407 PMCID: PMC7600534 DOI: 10.3390/biom10101432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most frequent autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease provoked by autoantibodies directed against two hemidesmosomal proteins: BP180 and BP230. Its pathogenesis depends on the interaction between predisposing factors, such as human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes, comorbidities, aging, and trigger factors. Several trigger factors, such as drugs, thermal or electrical burns, surgical procedures, trauma, ultraviolet irradiation, radiotherapy, chemical preparations, transplants, and infections may induce or exacerbate BP disease. Identification of predisposing and trigger factors can increase the understanding of BP pathogenesis. Furthermore, an accurate anamnesis focused on the recognition of a possible trigger factor can improve prognosis by promptly removing it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Moro
- Correspondence: (F.M.); (L.F.); Tel.: +39-(342)-802-0004 (F.M.)
| | - Luca Fania
- Correspondence: (F.M.); (L.F.); Tel.: +39-(342)-802-0004 (F.M.)
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Delli FS, Sotiriou E, Lazaridou E, Apalla Z, Lallas A, Vakirlis E, Gerou S, Bougioukas K, Ioannides D. Total IgE, eosinophils, and interleukins 16, 17A, and 23 correlations in severe bullous pemphigoid and treatment implications. Dermatol Ther 2020; 33:e13958. [PMID: 32621642 DOI: 10.1111/dth.13958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Bullous pemphigoid (BP) patients are predominantly above 70 years of age, with limited tolerance to the side effects of the immunosuppressive drugs. Advancements in our understanding of the pathophysiology of BP have led to the development of molecules which target specific pathways involved in induction and perpetuation of disease. Patients with BP Disease Area Index above 60 and less than 100 were split into two groups-one with high and the other with normal levels of IgE. The tested parameters included eosinophils' count, total IgE serum level, and interleukins (IL) 16, 17A, and 23 counts in the peripheral blood and skin bulla serum, before any therapeutic intervention. Thirty individuals fulfilled the criteria for enrollment. Patients with high IgE blood serum levels had significantly higher levels of IL17A and normal IL23 levels in blood and bulla serum. Patients with normal serum IgE levels had slightly higher IL23 levels in blood and bulla serum. The eosinophil count was positively related to IL17 blood serum level and negatively related to IL23. IL16 did not differ in the two groups. BP patients may represent a group of patients benefiting most substantially from the introduction of nonimmunosuppressive therapeutics into the treatment regimens for their disease. Clinical criteria and immune biomarkers are needed for making the best therapeutic choice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elena Sotiriou
- First Dermatology Department, Aristotle University of Medical School, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Elizabeth Lazaridou
- Second Dermatology Department, Aristotle University of Medical School, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Zoe Apalla
- Second Dermatology Department, Aristotle University of Medical School, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Aimilios Lallas
- First Dermatology Department, Aristotle University of Medical School, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Efstratios Vakirlis
- First Dermatology Department, Aristotle University of Medical School, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Spyros Gerou
- Department of Microbiology, Aristotle University of Medical School, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Bougioukas
- Department of Hygiene, Social-Preventive Medicine & Medical Statistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Demetrios Ioannides
- First Dermatology Department, Aristotle University of Medical School, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Lee J, Seiffert-Sinha K, Attwood K, Sinha AA. A Retrospective Study of Patient-Reported Data of Bullous Pemphigoid and Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid From a US-Based Registry. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2219. [PMID: 31608053 PMCID: PMC6768115 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bullous pemphigoid (BP) and mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) are rare chronic autoimmune disorders characterized by subepidermal blistering. For the United States, there is a limited amount of studies in BP and MMP that address disease demographics and clinical data. In order to more comprehensively examine disease demographics and clinical factors, we performed a retrospective analysis of patient-reported data of 138 BP and 165 MMP patients enrolled in the International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation (IPPF) disease registry from 2010–2016. Patient-reported data was compared to Physician/Investigator reported data generated in our own local patient population (Western New York; 19 BP and 43 MMP patients). We confirm a female predominance in BP (M:F ratio 1:2.1) and MMP (M:F ratio 1:4.3), and a late onset within the 6th decade of life (average age at diagnosis, 59.1 ± 17.5 years for BP and 54.8 ± 11.2 years for MMP). MMP patients were significantly more likely to have a delay in diagnosis >12 months than BP patients (38 vs. 21%, respectively). Similar to other autoimmune conditions, a large number of BP (34%) and MMP (35%) patients present with other co-existing autoimmune disorders, with the most common being thyroid disease for both groups. Increased illness activity was paralleled by an increase in severe limitations of daily activities. The vast majority of of both BP and MMP patients received high intensity immunosuppression (49%). However, the majority of BP patients reported therapy with prednisone combined with other immunosuppressants (40%), while the majority of MMP patients received immunosuppressants other than prednisone (55%). With the exception of age at diagnosis, the clinical and demographic findings from both the national and local datasets were largely consistent with each other, and support those reported in other countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Lee
- Department of Dermatology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Kristina Seiffert-Sinha
- Department of Dermatology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Kristopher Attwood
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Animesh A Sinha
- Department of Dermatology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
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Försti AK, Huilaja L, Schmidt E, Tasanen K. Neurological and psychiatric associations in bullous pemphigoid-more than skin deep? Exp Dermatol 2017; 26:1228-1234. [PMID: 28677172 DOI: 10.1111/exd.13401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In elderly patients, bullous pemphigoid (BP) is associated with several comorbidities; the strongest association occurs between BP and neurological diseases. Different types of dementia, Parkinson's disease, cerebrovascular disorders and epilepsy all have a significant association with BP, but patients with multiple sclerosis have the highest risk of BP. An existing neurological disorder appears to increase the risk for subsequent BP, but an increased risk for developing some neurological diseases has also been reported following BP diagnosis. BP seems to be associated with several psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, uni- and bipolar disorder, schizotypal and delusional disorders, and personality disorders, but the risk ratios are usually lower than with neurological diseases. In addition to the skin, the BP autoantigens BP180 and BP230 are expressed in the central nervous system. This finding together with the strong epidemiological association between neurological disorders and BP has led to an assumption that neurodegeneration or neuroinflammation could lead to a cross-reactive immunoresponse between neural and cutaneous antigens and the failure of self-tolerance. A subpopulation of patients with Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease have circulating IgG autoantibodies against BP180, but currently their significance for the development of BP is unclear, because these antineural BP180 antibodies neither bind to the cutaneous basement membrane nor cause BP-like symptoms. Further studies analysing large and well-characterized populations of neurological and psychiatric patients are required to understand better the role of autoimmunization against neural BP autoantigens in the pathogenesis of BP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Kaisa Försti
- PEDEGO Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Dermatology and Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Laura Huilaja
- PEDEGO Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Dermatology and Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Enno Schmidt
- Department of Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Kaisa Tasanen
- PEDEGO Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Dermatology and Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
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Sticherling M, Franke A, Aberer E, Gläser R, Hertl M, Pfeiffer C, Rzany B, Schneider S, Shimanovich I, Werfel T, Wilczek A, Zillikens D, Schmidt E. An open, multicentre, randomized clinical study in patients with bullous pemphigoid comparing methylprednisolone and azathioprine with methylprednisolone and dapsone. Br J Dermatol 2017; 177:1299-1305. [PMID: 28494097 DOI: 10.1111/bjd.15649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current treatment of bullous pemphigoid (BP) is based on the long-term use of topical and/or systemic corticosteroids, which are associated with a high rate of adverse events and increased mortality. OBJECTIVES To study the corticosteroid-sparing potential of azathioprine and dapsone. METHODS This was a prospective, multicentre, randomized, nonblinded clinical trial that compared the efficacy and safety of two parallel groups of patients with BP treated with oral methylprednisolone 0·5 mg kg-1 per day in combination with either azathioprine 1·5-2·5 mg kg-1 per day or dapsone 1·5 mg kg-1 per day. Nine German and Austrian departments of dermatology included 54 patients based on clinical lesions, positive direct immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy and detection of serum autoantibodies by indirect IF microscopy, immunoblotting or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The primary end point was the time until complete tapering of methylprednisolone, and the most important secondary end point was the cumulative corticosteroid dose. RESULTS In eight patients (five azathioprine, three dapsone), methylprednisolone could be discontinued after a median time of 251 days in the azathioprine group and 81 days in the dapsone group. The median cumulative corticosteroid dose was 2·65 g for azathioprine compared with 1·92 g for dapsone (P = 0·06). The median numbers of days when corticosteroids were applied were 148 and 51, respectively (P = 0·24). No significant difference in the number of adverse events was seen between the treatment arms. Four patients (8%) died within the observation period of 12 months. CONCLUSIONS Due to the lower than intended number of patients, the results of the primary and secondary end points were not or only barely significant. Dapsone appeared to have a moderately higher corticosteroid-sparing potential than azathioprine. The combination regimen of either drug with oral methylprednisolone is associated with a relatively low 1-year mortality in this vulnerable patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Sticherling
- Department of Dermatology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, University of Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, D-91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - A Franke
- Center for Clinical Trials, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - E Aberer
- Department of Dermatology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - R Gläser
- Department of Dermatology, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - M Hertl
- Department of Dermatology, University of Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, D-91054, Erlangen, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - C Pfeiffer
- Department of Dermatology, University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - B Rzany
- Department of Dermatology, Charité-Medical University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - S Schneider
- Department of Dermatology, University Münster, Münster, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - I Shimanovich
- Department of Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - T Werfel
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University, Hannover, Germany
| | - A Wilczek
- Department of Dermatology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - D Zillikens
- Department of Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - E Schmidt
- Department of Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Abstract
Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease in Western countries, and typically affects the elderly. BP is immunologically characterized by tissue-bound and circulating autoantibodies directed against either the BP antigen 180 (BP180, or BPAG2) or the BP antigen 230 (BP230, or BPAG1e), or even both, which are components of hemidesmosomes involved in the dermal-epidermal cohesion. Risk factors for BP include old age, neurologic diseases (dementia, Parkinson's disease, cerebrovascular disease), and some particular drugs, including loop diuretics, spironolactone and neuroleptics. The spectrum of clinical presentations is extremely broad. Clinically, BP is an intensely pruritic erythematous eruption with widespread blister formation. In the early stages, or in atypical, non-bullous variants of the disease, only excoriated, eczematous or urticarial lesions (either localized or generalized) are present. The diagnosis of BP relies on immunopathologic findings, especially based on both direct and indirect immunofluorescence microscopy observations, as well as on anti-BP180/BP230 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). BP is usually a chronic disease, with spontaneous exacerbations and remissions, which may be accompanied by significant morbidity. In the past decade, potent topical corticosteroids have emerged as an effective and safe first-line treatment for BP, but their long-term feasibility is still controversial. Newer therapeutic agents targeting molecules involved in the inflammatory cascade associated with BP represent future alternatives to classical immunosuppressant drugs for maintenance therapy.
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Kibsgaard L, Rasmussen M, Lamberg A, Deleuran M, Olesen A, Vestergaard C. Increased frequency of multiple sclerosis among patients with bullous pemphigoid: a population-based cohort study on comorbidities anchored around the diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid. Br J Dermatol 2017; 176:1486-1491. [DOI: 10.1111/bjd.15405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Kibsgaard
- Department of Dermatology; Aarhus University Hospital; PP Oerumsgade 11 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
| | - M. Rasmussen
- Department of Dermatology; Aarhus University Hospital; PP Oerumsgade 11 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
| | | | - M. Deleuran
- Department of Dermatology; Aarhus University Hospital; PP Oerumsgade 11 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
| | - A.B. Olesen
- Department of Dermatology; Aarhus University Hospital; PP Oerumsgade 11 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
| | - C. Vestergaard
- Department of Dermatology; Aarhus University Hospital; PP Oerumsgade 11 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
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