HWN Suggests

Life after the 467, a tale of bullous pemphigoid

My name is Ingrid and in April of 2015 I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune blistering skin disease called bullous pemphigoid. Why 467 you may ask? That is the number of blisters on my body when I was hospitalised on April 8th, 2015.

Blisters or "bullae" appeared

Most of these “bullae” appeared whilst I was on holiday in Madeira. If I had known what was going to happen, I wouldn’t have gone on holiday, but the blisters emerged so rapidly. I’d had a bad rash for some time but was misdiagnosed with possible scabies. This happens quite frequently with my disease.

Many GPs know little or nothing about the disease, let alone having seen someone with…

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  DermNet NZ

Bullous pemphigoid is the most common form of autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease. Bullous pemphigoid often presents in people over 80 years of age, and mostly affects people over 50. It can occur in younger adults, but bullous pemphigoid in infants and children is rare.

Articles of Interest

Milestones in Personalized Medicine in Pemphigus and Pemphigoid

The term “pemphigus” was used as descriptive terms for skin diseases characterized by blisters since Hippocrates (460-370 B.C.) who described different types of fever associated with blistering as “pemphigus fever”. However, the term pemphigus in its present meaning was coined by Dr. Wichman in 1791 when describing a case of pemphigus (in today’s understanding). Thereafter, “pemphigus” was used as a synonym for any vesicular or bullous disease.

Pemphigus Vulgaris and Bullous Pemphigoid: Update on Diagnosis and Treatment

Autoimmune bullous disorders are a heterogeneous spectrum of skin disorders characterized by the production of autoantibodies against adhesion molecules of the skin. The 2 major groups of diseases are “pemphigus diseases” and “autoimmune bullous diseases of the pemphigoid type.”

Recent Advances in Understanding Pemphigus and Bullous Pemphigoid

For many years, The Journal of Investigative Dermatology (JID) has been a leader in our understanding of many aspects of the major autoimmune blistering skin diseases, pemphigus and bullous pemphigoid. The purpose of this review is to highlight and summarize those advances...

Tricks to Diagnose Bullous Pemphigoid vs Pemphigus Vulgaris

Bullous diseases can pose a diagnostic challenge, but a few clinical pearls can help dermatologic providers make a quick diagnosis for patients.

Resources

PEM Friends

I found that connecting with others who have one of the PEM conditions has helped me a great deal. Just knowing that you aren’t alone out there can be a great comfort. This is why we (myself and some others with PEM conditions) have recently launched a new website called www.pemfriendsuk.co.uk to support and inform patients and carers of people with autoimmune blistering skin diseases. There are a few of us out there who know what you are going through, and we can help.

We Hear You Pemphigus

Your journey matters. Share your pemphigus story with us. This storytelling project aims to help raise awareness of pemphigus through engaging and connecting people living with pemphigus and their caregivers. Now you can build upon the community’s collective voice as you share your pemphigus story.

International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation

Our mission is to improve the quality of life for all those affected by pemphigus and pemphigoid through early diagnosis and support.

NORD

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a rare, autoimmune, chronic skin disorder characterized by blistering, urticarial lesions (hives) and itching. Less commonly these blisters can involve the mucous membranes including the eyes, oral mucosa, esophagus and genital mucosa. It typically presents in older adults as a generalized intensely itchy blistering skin condition.

Patient

Bullous pemphigoid classically presents with tense blisters over urticarial plaques on the trunk and extremities accompanied by intense pruritus. The initial presentation of pemphigoid is very variable, as blistering skin lesions may only occur late in the course of the disease.

StatPearls

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common autoimmune subepidermal blistering disorder, representing 80% of subepidermal immunobullous cases. Bullous pemphigoid most commonly affects elderly patients between the ages of 60 to 80 years. While the clinical presentation of bullous pemphigoid is broad, the immunobullous skin disorder characteristically presents with tense bullae and intense generalized pruritus. In atypical cases, bullous lesions may be absent...