title: Dermatitis herpetiformis. Part I. Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical presentation.
abstract: Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is an autoimmune disease that is linked to gluten sensitivity and has a clear relationship to celiac disease. Both conditions are mediated by the IgA class of autoantibodies and the diagnosis of DH is dependent on detection of granular deposits of IgA in the skin. There is an underlying genetic predisposition to the development of DH but environmental factors are also important. Typically, young adults present with excoriations only, as the severe pruritus effectively destroys any primary lesions. Based upon our experience with DH and a comprehensive literature review, we provide an update of DH epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical presentation.
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. vrosic@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bolotin
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Petronic-Rosic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003874:Dermatitis Herpetiformis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G