Pemphigoid gestationis: treatment with immunoapheresis.
BACKGROUND
Pemphigoid (herpes) gestationis is a rare blistering disease of pregnancy. Topical and systemic corticosteroids and antihistamines are usually sufficient for treatment.


METHODS
A patient suffering from severe, therapy-resistant pemphigoid gestationis was successfully treated with the additional use of six sessions of immunoapheresis. Systemic corticosteroids could be tapered and serum autoantibody levels to bullous pemphigoid antigen 2 (BPAG2 = BP180) significantly dropped during this treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Immunoapheresis represents a helpful therapeutic option with few side effects for severe cases of pemphigoid gestationis, unresponsive to conventional treatment.
Wöhrl
Stefan
S
Division of Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases (DIAID), Department of Dermatology, University of Vienna Medical School (AKH Wien), Austria. stefan.woehrl@univie.ac.at
Geusau
Alexandra
A
Karlhofer
Franz
F
Derfler
Kurt
K
Stingl
Georg
G
Zillikens
Detlef
D
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive / Q000379:methods*; D006559:Pemphigoid Gestationis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010956:Plasmapheresis / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones