Tetracycline and niacinamide: Treatment alternatives in ocular cicatricialpemphigoid

Cicatricial pemphigoid (CP) is one of the subepidermal autoimmune bullous d ermatoses in which pathologic separation occurs between the epidermis and d ermis. Ocular findings characteristic of CP include conjunctival cicatrizat ion, subepithelial fibrosis, and symblepharon formation, which may progress to blindness. Ocular CP (OCP) is usually treated with steroids or immunosu ppressive agents, which are problematic in and of themselves within the eld erly population, which is most often; afflicted with OCP. We describe the u tility and effectiveness of therapy with tetracycline and niacinamide in el derly patients with OCP.