"Untreated may persist for months or years.
Usually settles after about five years.
Pemphigus vulgaris vs Pemphigoid:
Pemphigus vulgaris:
-antibodies which disrupt connections between epidermal squamous cells
-cause very superficial
intraepidermal
fragile bullae.
-Immunofluorescence - outlining of each individual epidermal cell (antibodies bound to the junctions bet ween the cells).
In bullous pemphigoid:
-antibodies against the basement membrane of the epidermis
-Hence bullae are subepidermal
henceless fragile
if you see a patient with bullous pemphigoid
you�ll see lots of intact
tense bullae
rather than a bunch of ruptured bullae covered with scabs as in P vulgaris.
-Immunofluorescence � only a line at the base of the epidermis (rather than the lace-like outlining of epi dermal cells ).
Summary: pemphigus vulgaris has intraepidermal antibodies.
"