title: The treatment of mild pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus with a topical corticosteroid.
abstract: Seven patients with mild pemphigus vulgaris (n = 3) or pemphigus foliaceus (n = 4) were treated with a very potent topical corticosteroid alone. Clobetasol propionate 0.05% cream was applied to mucosal lesions and involved skin twice a day for at least 15 days, then progressively tapered. Pemphigus was considered to be controlled if healing of lesions was obtained, with a 75% decrease in the number of new lesions per week without addition of any systemic treatment. In all seven patients, the disease was controlled initially with healing of cutaneous lesions within 15 days, while healing of mucosal lesions took at least 1 month. In four patients, remission was maintained with topical corticosteroid alone for a mean 19-month follow-up. In three patients, relapse occurred after 2-11 months, requiring a systemic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Henri Mondor Hospital, 94000 Créteil, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dumas
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Roujeau
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wolkenstein
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Revuz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cosnes
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002990:Clobetasol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009824:Ointments; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D009824:Ointments; D002990:Clobetasol