Page Contents
- 1 WHAT IS IT?
- 2 WHAT CAUSES IT?
- 3 WHY IS IT CONCERNING MEDICALLY?
- 4 WHAT IS THE INTIAL PRESENTATION?
- 5 WHAT ARE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY?
- 6 WHAT ARE IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE PHYSICAL EXAM?
- 7 CLINICAL WORKUP: MICROSCOPY
- 8 CLINICAL WORKUP: OTHER
- 9 HOW DO WE NARROW THE DIFFERENTIAL?
- 10 WHAT IS OUR THRESHOLD FOR DIAGNOSING THIS CONDITION?
- 11
- 12 PATIENT MANAGEMENT: DISEASE TREATMENT
- 13 PATIENT MANAGEMENT: PROPHYLACTIC MEASURES
- 14 COULD THIS HAVE BEEN PREVENTED?
- 15 ARCHIVE OF STANDARDIZED EXAM QUESTIONS
WHAT IS IT?
Bullous pemphigoid refers to an autoimmune disorder that involves the skin.
WHAT CAUSES IT?
Autoantibodies (IgG) against the hemidesmosome and basement membrane zone.
WHY IS IT CONCERNING MEDICALLY?
This condition can cause very itchy bullae to form on the skin (which can be a nuisance to patients).
WHAT IS THE INTIAL PRESENTATION?
Patient Chief Complaints:
- Rash
- Severe itching
Detected Medical Problems:
- Observed bullae on skin
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY?
Risk Factors:
- Old age: > 65 years old
- Malignancy
- Neurological disorders: Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis
Medical History:
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE PHYSICAL EXAM?
Vital Signs:
Other:
CLINICAL WORKUP: MICROSCOPY
Light microscopy (of a skin biopsy) reveals the presence of:
- Sub epidermal cleavage
Immunofloresence (of a skin biopsy) reveals the presence of:
- Linear IgG/C3 staining at the basement membrane (dermal/epidermal junction)
CLINICAL WORKUP: OTHER
HOW DO WE NARROW THE DIFFERENTIAL?
Conditions that present similarly and how to exclude them:
WHAT IS OUR THRESHOLD FOR DIAGNOSING THIS CONDITION?
PATIENT MANAGEMENT: DISEASE TREATMENT
Topical high-potency glucocorticoids are often the first-line treatment:
- Clobetosol
PATIENT MANAGEMENT: PROPHYLACTIC MEASURES
COULD THIS HAVE BEEN PREVENTED?
ARCHIVE OF STANDARDIZED EXAM QUESTIONS
This archive compiles standardized exam questions that relate to this topic.
Page Updated: 02.15.2017