A Clinicoepidemiological Study of Pemphigus in India.

Introduction: Pemphigus is a group of autoimmune bullous disorder affecting skin and mucosa. There are reports of some factors that can provoke the disease in genetically predisposed individuals and some have a protective effect. Aims and Objectives: To study the clinical features of pemphigus and possible epidemiological risk factors. Materials and Methods: Hundred cases with clinical diagnosis of pemphigus and equal number of controls were selected for the study. The clinical features of the disease and possible epidemiological risk factors were studied and compared with controls. Routine blood tests were also advised. Observations: There were 78 cases of pemphigus vulgaris (PV), 21 of foliaceous (PF) and 1 of erythematosus (PE). Ratio of male: female was 0.92:1. Mean age of cases was 40.905 ± 14.011 and of controls 42.64 ± 12.756. History of (h/o) exposure to pesticides in fields, intake of food containing garlic, number of pregnancies and use of cosmetics (Kajal) were significantly high in cases whereas smoking, tobacco chewing, herpes infection and mental stress were high in controls. Exposure to fertilizers, intake of alcohol and oral contraceptives were equal in both. Conclusion: Pemphigus had slight female preponderance in lower socioeconomic strata of rural areas. Exposure to pesticides, garlic intake, use of cosmetics and higher number of pregnancies may be predisposing where as smoking or tobacco chewing was not. Avoiding such risk factors may be helpful in prevention or fast recovery of pemphigus.