Blog Archives

Metformin in dermatology: an overview.

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Cristo Rey Intern

For several decades, metformin has been used as an oral hypoglycaemic agent, where it is the first line of treatment in overweight and obese type 2 diabetic patients. This is because it decreases the hepatic glucose output and acts as…

Pemphigus foliaceus masquerading as IgA pemphigus and responding to dapsone

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Cristo Rey Intern

A 14-year-old male presented with seven years history of recurrent episodes of fluid filled, itchy and eroded lesions over the body not responding to oral corticosteroids and azathioprine. Dermatological examination revealed crusted plaques and erosions in a seborrheic distribution. Histopathology…

Tagged with: Dapsone, IgA, IgA pemphigus, pemphigus, pemphigus foliaceus
Posted in Around the Globe, News and Information

Acantholysis revisited: Back to basics

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Cristo Rey Intern

Acantholysis means loss of coherence between epidermal cells due to the breakdown of intercellular bridges. It is an important pathogenetic mechanism underlying various bullous disorders, particularly the pemphigus group, as well as many non-blistering disorders. Although a well-known concept, the…

Tagged with: acantholysis, Nikolsky′s sign, primary, secondary
Posted in Around the Globe, News and Information

Clinical Relevance of Autoantibodies in Patients with Autoimmune Bullous Dermatosis

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Cristo Rey Intern

The authors present their experience related to the diagnosis, treatment, and followup of 431 patients with bullous pemphigoid, 14 patients with juvenile bullous pemphigoid, and 273 patients with pemphigus. The detection of autoantibodies plays an outstanding role in the diagnosis…

Paraneoplastic Pemphigus: A Paraneoplastic Autoimmune Multiorgan Syndrome or Autoimmune Multiorganopathy?

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Cristo Rey Intern

Paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP), a clinically and immunopathologically distinct mucocutaneous blistering dermatosis, is a severe form of autoimmune multiorgan syndrome generally associated with poor therapeutic outcome and high mortality. This IgG-mediated disease is initiated by an obvious or occult lymphoproliferative disorder…

Tagged with: autoimmune, paraneoplastic pemphigus, pemphigus, PNP
Posted in Around the Globe, News and Information

Localized pemphigus with vegetative features

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Cristo Rey Intern

We present a 58-year-old Jamaican man with an eight-month history of an isolated, vegetative, eroded, and crusted plaque on the posterior aspect of the scalp. One month prior to referral to the Charles C. Harris Skin and Cancer Pavilion he…

Tagged with: IgG, Jamaica, localized pemphigus, pemphigus, pemphigus vulgaris, vegetative
Posted in Around the Globe, News and Information

Biochip Technology for the Serological Diagnosis of Bullous Pemphigoid

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Cristo Rey Intern

Bullous pemphigoid is an autoimmune blistering skin disease characterized by the presence of circulating autoantibodies which recognize specific proteins of the epidermis and dermoepidermal junction. Diagnosis is based on clinical criteria and laboratory investigations, notably histology, direct and indirect immunofluorescence,…

Tagged with: anti-BP180, anti-BP230, antigen, autoantibodies, biochip, bullous pemphigoid, ELISA
Posted in Around the Globe, News and Information, Technolgy

Association of human leukocyte antigen class I antigens in Iranian patients with pemphigus vulgaris

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Cristo Rey Intern

There are a limited number of reports indicating the role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I alleles in pemphigus vulgaris. This study was designed to highlight the association of HLA class I alleles with pemphigus vulgaris in Iran. Fifty…

Equine Pemphigus Foliaceus

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Cristo Rey Intern

Pemphigus foliaceus (pem-fi-gus foli-a-shus) is an auto immune disease that affects humans and dogs and, to a lesser extent, cats and horses. In horses, it is characterized by primary lesions that often begin on the head and lower extremities; secondary…

Tagged with: equine, horse, pemphigus, pemphigus foliaceus
Posted in Around the Globe, News and Information

Autoantibodies in Senear-Usher Syndrome: Cross-Reactivity or Multiple Autoimmunity?

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Cristo Rey Intern

Senear-Usher syndrome or pemphigus erythematosus is a pathology that overlaps clinically and serologically with pemphigus foliaceus and lupus erythematosus. Skin biopsies of patients with pemphigus erythematosus reveal acantholysis and deposits of immunoglobulins in desmosomes, and they are positive in the…