Diagnosis and Treatment Challenges of an Atypical Case of Pemphigus vulgaris During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Cureus
; 14(1): e21739, 2022 Jan.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1732449
ABSTRACT
Pemphigus defines a group of rare autoimmune blistering diseases that affect the skin and mucous membranes, with pemphigus vulgaris being the most common form that has increased morbidity and mortality in the absence of an early diagnosis and treatment. We report the case of a 24-year-old male with an atypical form of pemphigus vulgaris with cutaneous onset and subsequent involvement of the oral cavity. The management of the patient initially consisted of long-term systemic corticosteroid therapy. Following a mild form of SARS-CoV-2 infection and a flare-up of the disease in this context, which was not controlled with high doses of systemic corticosteroids, targeted therapy with rituximab was initiated but immediately stopped due to the manifestations of urticaria and angioedema. Considering the magnitude of these reactions, dapsone systemic therapy i.e., a steroid-sparing agent with minimal risk of infections, was started and managed to control the underlying disease. The management of this case of pemphigus vulgaris was challenging for both the patient and his physician, as the patient developed COVID-19 which caused disease complications and implied additional costs. This case highlights the importance of an accurate diagnosis given the atypical onset of the disease and the financial limitations with the impossibility of performing all confirmatory diagnostic tests.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Case report
/
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Language:
English
Journal:
Cureus
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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