title: Endemic pemphigus in the Peruvian Amazon: epidemiology and risk factors for the development of complications during treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pemphigus is an autoimmune blistering disease. According to a report, in areas of endemic pemphigus foliaceus (EPF) in Peru there are cases of pemphigus vulgaris with epidemiologic, clinical and histopathologic characteristics similar to those of "endemic pemphigus vulgaris" (EPV) in Brazil.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of endemic pemphigus and the risk factors of patients for developing complications during treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study was carried out from July 2003 to March 2008. The study population was 60 patients with EPF and 7 patients with EPV evaluated in hospitals and clinics in the Peruvian Amazon and Lima. A multivariate analysis was carried out using binary logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of EPF patients was 31.4 years; 55% were men; 60% presented the generalized clinical variant. Non-compliance with the treatment was seen in 57.1% of the patients. Thirty-five percent presented complications (e.g. pyodermitis and pyelonephritis) during treatment. The risk factors for developing complications during treatment were non-compliance with the treatment and having the generalized clinical form. In the EPV group, the average age was 21.7 years; 71.4% were men. All patients presented with the mucocutaneous clinical variant and the initial presentation consisted of oral mucosa lesions; 71.4% presented complications during treatment, pyodermitis being the most frequent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-compliance with the treatment and the generalized clinical form are risk factors for the development of complications during treatment of patients with EPF. Peru indeed has EPV cases with epidemiologic characteristics similar to EPF. Living in a rural area may represent a risk factor for the development of complications during treatment of patients with EPV.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) - Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Gina Rocio
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Chacon
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galarza
authors.forename: Ericson Leonardo
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Maria Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Alex Gerardo
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Ortega-Loayza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult