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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Bullous pemphigoid (BUL-us PEM-fih-goid) is a rare, persistent skin condition that usually appears as large, fluid-filled blisters (bullae) in your skin. Although anyone can develop bullous pemphigoid, it almost always affects older adults.
Bullous pemphigoid occurs when the immune system mounts an attack against a thin layer of tissue below your outer layer of skin. The reason for this abnormal immune response is unknown.
Drugs that suppress the immune system abnormalities of bullous pemphigoid improve symptoms, but they require careful monitoring for serious side effects. Bullous pemphigoid is rarely life-threatening, except in older individuals already in poor health or in people with otherwise poor immune system function.
- Bullous pemphigoid. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec10/ch112/ch112b.html. Accessed April 21, 2010.
- Goldstein BG, et al. Bullous pemphigoid and other pemphigoid disorders. http://uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 15, 2010.
- Stanley J. Bullous pemphigoid. In: Wolff K, et al., eds. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2950538. Accessed April 21, 2010.
- Kirtschig G, et al. Management of bullous pemphigoid: Recommendations for immunomodulatory treatments. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 2004;5:319.
- Patton T, et al. Bullous pemphigoid treatment review. Expert Opinion in Pharmacotherapy. 2006;7:2403.
- Glucocorticosteroid-induced osteoporosis. American College of Rheumatology. http://www.rheumatology.org/practice/clinical/patients/diseases_and_conditions/gi-osteoporosis.asp. Accessed April 15, 2010.
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