title: A case of refractory bullous pemphigoid with plasmapheresis-associated thrombopenia: efficacy of pulsed intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy.
abstract: We present a 69-year-old woman with refractory bullous pemphigoid successfully treated with pulsed intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy. Because various other early treatments including 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulphone (DDS), minocycline/nicotinamide, cyclosporin, azathioprine, high-dose oral prednisolone, and methylprednisolone pulse therapy were either ineffective or intolerable, she was treated with double filtration plasmapheresis, but she responded poorly with the rare complication of severe transient thrombopenia. Finally, she gradually recovered with pulsed intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Ayumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Miyako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tomita
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D010391:Pemphigoid, Bullous / Q000628:therapy*; D010956:Plasmapheresis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide