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CASE REPORT
Refractory pemphigus foliaceous treated with rituximab
  1. Fatima Awdeh,
  2. Eimear Gilhooley,
  3. Ciara O Grady and
  4. Maureen Connolly
  1. Dermatology, Tallaght Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
  1. Correspondence to Dr Fatima Awdeh, fatima_Awdeh{at}hotmail.com

Abstract

Autoimmune blistering diseases are rare but potentially life-threatening conditions. Pemphigus foliaceus is one of these conditions, characterised by superficial erosions of the skin without mucosal involvement. We report the case of a 57-year-old woman who presented with a 4-week history of rash affecting her scalp with associated hair loss. Clinical and histopathological findings were in keeping with pemphigus foliaceus. She was successfully treated with rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody against CD20, leading to a transient depletion of B cells. After 5 months of follow-up, her rash had cleared, and her hair had completely regrown.

  • dermatology
  • pathology

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Footnotes

  • Contributors FA wrote the article. COG and EG reviewed the article. MC did the last review.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

  • Patient consent for publication Obtained.