Characteristic Laryngeal Findings in Patients with Pemphigus Vulgaris

• Published in: The Laryngoscope 2024-08, Vol.134 (8), p.3719-3725
• Main Authors: Hosoya, Makoto, Tomisato, Shuta, Matsumoto, Nobuharu, Yabe, Haruna, Takaoka, Takuji, Ozawa, Hiroyuki, Kono, Takeyuki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: arytenoid; laryngeal lesions; Localization; Pemphigus Vulgaris
• ISSN: 0023-852X; 1531-4995; 1531-4995
• DOI: 10.1002/lary.31448

Objective Pemphigus Vulgaris (PV) is a rare autoimmune disease that could cause laryngeal lesions; however, only a few studies have described the localization of the laryngeal lesions associated with this disease owing to its rarity. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the localization of laryngeal lesions in patients with PV. Methods Fourteen patients with PV accompanied by laryngeal or pharyngeal lesions, who underwent flexible laryngeal endoscopy performed by laryngologists, were examined retrospectively. Results The arytenoid area was the most frequently affected site in the larynx, followed by the epiglottis and aryepiglottic folds. Vocal folds and ventricular bands were the least affected. Conclusion Lesions in the arytenoid area were observed more frequently in this study than in previous studies. This result suggests that a more careful inspection of arytenoid lesions in patients with PV is required under laryngeal fiber observation. Moreover, we proposed a novel classification system for laryngeal findings in patients with PV and a systematic observation method. This novel classification and method would be useful not only for determining the lesions but also for careful inspection in this field. Level of Evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 134:3719–3725, 2024 Pemphigus Vulgaris (PV) is a rare autoimmune disease that could cause laryngeal lesions; however, only a few studies have described the localization of the laryngeal lesions associated with this disease owing to its rarity. We revealed that the arytenoid area was the most frequently affected site in the larynx. We proposed a novel classification system for laryngeal findings in patients with PV and a systematic observation method.