Anal involvement in pemphigus vulgaris.
BACKGROUND
Anal involvement in patients with pemphigus vulgaris has rarely been reported. We report 16 pemphigus vulgaris patients with anal involvement.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data on 16 patients treated at a tertiary dermatology referral center.


RESULTS
Of 16 patients with anal involvement of pemphigus vulgaris, ten were female and six were male. The mean age of onset was 56 (range, 37-82) years. All patients had involvement of pemphigus vulgaris at multiple sites, including oral involvement. Recurrent episodes of anal pemphigus vulgaris were noted in nine (56 percent) patients, with a mean of 2.4 recurrences (range, 1-11). In all patients, pemphigus vulgaris was controlled with systemic and local therapy. Long-term follow-up for a mean of 53 (range, 4-188) months indicated that no long-term sequela occurred because of anal involvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Anal involvement in pemphigus vulgaris is not very common and generally occurs in patients with severe disease. With appropriate topical and systemic therapy, patients have full recovery with no sequelae.
Department of Medicine, New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02120, USA.
Mohsin
M
Malik
Abd-El-Kader
AE
El Tal
A Razzaque
AR
Ahmed
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001004:Anus Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones