EPIDEMIOLOGIC OBSERVATIONS ON THE NATURAL COURSE OF PEMPHIGUS-VULGARIS

Background During the last 20 years, few prospective studies on the na tural course of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) have been performed. Methods V arious correlations of disease duration, clinical activity fluctuation s, serology, and coexistence with other disease states were analyzed w ith regard to their impact upon the natural history of pemphigus, Thir ty-seven consecutive PV patients were involved in this 1-year retrospe ctive follow-up study. Results The disease activity decreases with tim e, but when exacerbated it is of unpredictable intensity; skin involve ment is equally distributed between the sexes; relapses occur mostly d uring the first 2 years after disease onset, and can be marginally pre dicted by autoantibody titers. Conclusions Notice should be taken of t he relative frequencies of PV associated with neoplasia, ionizing radi ation, and familial occurrence.