REVIEWS  PEMPHIGUS 

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2007 August;142(4):409-14

Copyright © 2007 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Pemphigus and drugs: our experience

Brenner S., Goldberg I.

Department of Dermatology Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center Sackler Faculty of Medicine Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Various drugs have been implicated in the induction and/or exacerbation of pemphigus. Nevertheless, many cases remain unrecognized. A detailed history – including analgesics, homeopathic drugs, immunizations, and ophthalmic preparations – can disclose the culprit. Elimination of the offending agents may ameliorate the disease and reduce the need for drug treatment. Diagnosis must also take into account the multifactorial nature of the disease, represented by the acronym PEMPHIGUS we proposed: PEsticides, Malignancy, Pharmaceuticals, Hormones, Infectious agents and Immunization, Gastronomy, Ultraviolet radiation, and Stress. A useful tool for identifying culprit drugs in pemphigus patients is the interferon-gamma (INF-γ) release test. Correlation between the results of the test and the clinical picture can lead to the correct diagnosis.