Epidemiological Study of Autoimmune Bullous Dermatoses in Northeastern Romania

Autoimmune bullous diseases (ABDs) are a rare but significant group of dermatoses that pose great challenges to the treating dermatologist. ABDs are characterized by the presence of tissue-bound and circulating autoantibodies directed against disease-specific target antigens of the skin. Most epidem...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diagnostics (Basel) 2023-12, Vol.14 (1), p.57
Main Authors: Popescu, Ioana Adriana, Vata, Dan, Temelie Olinici, Doinita, Tarcau, Bogdan Marian, Patrascu, Adriana Ionela, Halip, Ioana Alina, Gugulus, Dumitrita Lenuta, Mocanu, Madalina, Gheuca Solovastru, Laura
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antigens
autoimmune bullous dermatoses
Cytokines
Dermatitis
Diabetes
epidemiology
Immune system
Membranes
Northeastern Romania
Proteins
Quality of life
Skin diseases
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Summary:Autoimmune bullous diseases (ABDs) are a rare but significant group of dermatoses that pose great challenges to the treating dermatologist. ABDs are characterized by the presence of tissue-bound and circulating autoantibodies directed against disease-specific target antigens of the skin. Most epidemiological studies have focused on a single ABD. More than that, there are few data about the incidence and prevalence of autoimmune blistering diseases in Romania. In this study, between 2015 and 2019, we retrospectively investigated a total of 225 patients with autoimmune bullous diseases from the northeastern region of Romania. The diagnosis was based on the clinical and histo- and immunohistological findings. Pemphigus was the most frequently encountered ABD, with an incidence of 8.16/1,000,000 inhabitants, representing 58.7% (132 cases), followed by 24% cases of bullous pemphigoid (54 cases), 15.4% of patients were diagnosed with dermatitis herpetiformis (37 cases), and 0.9% other subepidermal autoimmune bullous dermatoses. The average age of onset of pemphigus vulgaris was 59.4 years, the majority of patients being male, while the average age of patients diagnosed with bullous pemphigoid was 73.8 years, the majority being female. Pemphigus vulgaris is the most frequently encountered ABDs in the northeast of Romania, with a higher incidence than in Western European countries, and this may be due to specific peculiarities of the geographical area, as well as to a genetic susceptibility of the population in this region.
ISSN:2075-4418
2075-4418
DOI:10.3390/diagnostics14010057