Bullous Pemphigoid: A descriptive study on patients admitted in Loghman Hakim Hospital in Tehran in 1992-97

Abstract

Background: Most of patients with bullous pemphigoid are at old age and its differentiation from other bullous diseases is important. There is no report of it in Iran. Objective: This study was done in order to determine clinical and paraclinical features, natural course and response to treatment in patients with bullous pemphigoid admitted in Loghman Hakim Hospital in 1992-1997. Patients and Methods: This descriptive study was done retrospectively by reviewing the existing files of 17 bullous pemphigoid patients admitted in the skin diseases ward of Loghman Hakim Hospital in Tehran in 1992-1997. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination in all of the patients. Results: The age range of the patients was 19-80 years; most of them were in the 6th-8th decades. 58.8% of the patients were female. Initial lesions were bullous in 53%, eczematous in 29.4% and erythematous or urticarial in 17.6%. 53% of patients were complaining of pruritus. Mucosal involvement was seen in 47%, all in the oral mucosa; only in one of the patients genital area was also involved. No malignancy was seen. 52% of the patients responded to oral prednisolone alone. None of the patients died from the disease. Conclusion: Iranian bullous pemphigoid patients show similar epidemiologic and clinical features to other parts of world.