Descriptive Study of the Clinical and Histopathological Features of Autoimmune Blistering Dermatoses

摘要

Background: Autoimmune skin blistering diseases are a diverse group of dermatoses characterized by autoantibodies binding to antigens in the skin and mucous membranes. Some are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Objectives: To study the clinical aspects, histopathological findings and immunofluorescence features of autoimmune blistering skin diseases. An attempt will be made to correlate the clinical with the histopathological features. Patients and Methods: This was a descriptive study conducted at the Center of Dermatology and Venereology, Baghdad Medical City, Baghdad, Iraq, from October 2018 to March 2020. A total of 60 patients were included. Diagnoses were established by history, clinical examinations, and skin biopsies with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining. Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) tests were performed in some cases. Results: Thirty-five represented (58.3%) of the included patients were female, and 25 (41.6%) were male. The patients’ mean age was 49.4 ± 20.9 years. Bullous Pemphigoid was the most common disease (35% of the cases), followed by Pemphigus Vulgaris (31.6%). Pemphigus Vulgaris affected mostly middle-aged patients (mean age: 47 ± 16.66 years), whereas Bullous Pemphigoid affected mostly older patients (mean age: 60 ± 15.26 years). Bullae were the primary presented lesions (68.33% of the patients). Conclusion: Consistency between clinical diagnosis and histopathological results was found in 92% of the patients, suggested that careful history, clinical examination, and histopathological findings obtained from H&E-stained sections were sufficient to reach a diagnosis in most cases.