Clinical and immunologic characterization in 26 Indian pemphigus patients.
BACKGROUND
Pemphigus shows geographically variable characteristics.


OBJECTIVE
To study the clinical and immunologic characteristics of Indian pemphigus patients before and after treatment.


METHODS
Twenty-six Indian pemphigus patients were analyzed with regard to age, gender, clinical features, treatments and response, the results of histopathology, direct and indirect immunofluorescence (IF), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunoblot analyses.


RESULTS
There were 22 pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and 4 pemphigus foliaceus (PF) patients. Direct and indirect IF was positive in 95.8% and 56% of patients, respectively. Indices of ELISA were lower in our study. Immunoblot assays detected the 130 kDa desmoglein-3 in 10 PV patients and the 160 kDa desmoglein-1 in 1 PV patient; 190 kDa periplakin was unexpectedly detected in 8 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Indian pemphigus patients showed several unique characteristics, including younger population, predominance of PV, low ELISA indices, lower sensitivity of indirect IF and immunoblotting, and the presence of the 190 kDa periplakin in nearly one-third of patients.
Daisuke
D
Tsuruta
Amrinder J
AJ
Kanwar
Keshavamurthy
K
Vinay
Shunpei
S
Fukuda
Hiroshi
H
Koga
Teruki
T
Dainichi
Chika
C
Ohata
Norito
N
Ishii
Takashi
T
Hashimoto
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D051183:Desmoglein 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051184:Desmoglein 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D051179:Plakins / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D051183:Desmoglein 1; D051184:Desmoglein 3; D007155:Immunologic Factors; C491674:PPL protein, human; D051179:Plakins