A 52-year-old lady arrives at the clinic complaining of pain when chewing and swallowing meals for the past two months. The woman did not seek therapy because she believed the lesions would resolve on their own, but they did not. There are erosions of the buccal and gingival mucosa on inspection, as illustrated in the figure below. Several flaccid bullae with erosions are strewn around her trunk. With pressure, the blisters develop laterally, and tension on seemingly uninvolved skin causes blistering. Autoantibodies against which of the following structures are most likely to blame for this process?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Pemphigus vulgaris is a bullous autoimmune illness characterized by autoantibodies against desmosomal proteins (eg, desmogleins). It is characterized by painful, flaccid bullae and skin and mucous membrane erosions. With mild rubbing, the bullae may extend laterally and additional blisters may emerge.

A 52-Year-Old Lady Arrives at the Clinic Complaining of Pain