title: Mucous membrane pemphigoid: a disease of the elderly.
abstract: Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is a vesiculo-bullous, mucocutaneous disease that generally affects elderly people. The diagnosis of mucous membrane pemphigoid may be overlooked since the disease is often confined to the mouth and desquamative gingivitis may be the only symptom. Gerodontic patients with this condition are often diagnosed as having "desquamative gingivitis" without obtaining the proper therapy to control chronic pain and effect disease remission. The discomfort associated with eating may prevent many elderly patients from obtaining adequate nutrition. Topical and/or systemic corticosteroid therapy are the only available methods of managing this condition. Immunologic studies support the autoimmune nature of MMP and infer that it may be a variant of bullous pemphigoid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comprehensive Care and Applied Practice Administration, New York University College of Dentistry.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bachiman
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Scherer
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D010390:Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones