title: Practice and Educational Gaps in Blistering Disease.
abstract: Treatment of autoimmune patients can be challenging and rewarding. These patients often remain undiagnosed for prolonged periods of time or underdiagnosed without immunologic confirmation, resulting in significant morbidity. The most important principle in management of autoimmune bullous disease is to halt blistering activity while minimizing side effects of medications, especially those caused by corticosteroids. Judicious use of systemic steroids and steroid-sparing agents are essential tools in the management of these patients. Rituximab and intravenous immunoglobulin are playing increasingly important and earlier roles in management. Understanding of and surveillance for drug side effects are critical in long-term management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 269 Campus Drive, CCSR Building, Room 2145, Stanford, CA 94305-5168, USA.
authors.forename: Nazanin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ehsani-Chimeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 269 Campus Drive, CCSR Building, Room 2145, Stanford, CA 94305-5168, USA; Veterans Administration Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA. Electronic address: mpm@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: M Peter
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Marinkovich
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003880:Dermatology / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012872:Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab
keywords: Autoimmunity; Blistering; Bullous; Pemphigoid; Pemphigus