Leaf – shaped pemphigus
Leaf—shaped pemphigus, known in medicine and under another name “exfoliative pemphigus”, is a type of disease with the formation of multiple flat unstressed bladders. This disease is characterized by the formation of secondary blisters that occur under the crust of the primary ones. The main symptom of leaf-shaped pemphigus is the delamination of the skin. The disease has an autoimmune mechanism of development, since the body forms antibodies that attack the cells of its own skin.
The content of the article:
Symptoms of leafy pemphigus
Diagnosis of leaf-shaped pemphigus
Treatment of leaf-shaped pemphigus
Prognosis for leaf-shaped pemphigus
Leaf – shaped pemphigus
Leaf-shaped pemphigus got its name due to the fact that one of the most striking symptoms is the formation of layered crusts covering the erosions that occur after the bubbles are opened. This type of disease is often found in both children and adults. For older people, there is a tendency to the predominance of leaf—shaped pemphigus over its other form – vegetative.
Diagnosis of leaf pemphigus is carried out using histological analysis, and its treatment is carried out by the use of glucocorticoids.
Symptoms of leafy pemphigus
One of the first symptoms of leaf-shaped pemphigus is redness of certain areas of the skin, with flat, unstressed blisters located on them. In some cases, they appear dimly on the skin, but there is a peeling of the skin, which looks like an area with an uneven surface.
Bubbles with leaf-shaped pemphigus are characterized by thin walls, and, as a result, a tendency to rapid destruction. After the bubble has burst, an erosion of a bright crimson hue forms in its place. After a while, this wound dries up with the formation of a crust. New bubbles appear under it, and the process is repeated several times, leaving elements consisting of several layers of crusts on the patient’s skin.
Another important symptom of leaf pemphigus is the detachment of the epidermis. This is due to the weakening of the connections between the granular and horny layer of the skin, which manifests itself even in healthy areas of the patient’s body. This process is called Nikolsky’s symptom and it is characterized by the formation of blisters and crusts on intact areas of untouched skin.
The onset of the disease is marked by the general normal well-being of the patient. However, in accordance with how the skin lesion spreads, the patient’s health deteriorates. First of all, the patient experiences pain at the slightest movement, since mechanical action on the skin covered with blisters or crusts is very painful. Because of this, there are problems with the psyche, sleep function, stress increases. The temperature also rises, cachexia develops, there is a deterioration in appetite, weight loss, exhaustion. If skin lesions spread to areas of the skin on the head, then hair loss is noted. Nails can also collapse and fall off.
With leaf-shaped pemphigus, lesions of the oral mucosa are very rare.
In some cases, the disease proceeds according to an uncharacteristic scenario for the clinical picture, repeating the symptoms of vulgar pemphigus, During dermatitis, toxicoderma, seborrheic dermatitis, eczema.
Diagnosis of leaf-shaped pemphigus
The basis for the diagnosis is the symptoms of leaf-shaped pemphigus, so a general examination by a doctor is usually sufficient. Smears are taken-prints from the surfaces of the formed erosions, in which there are altered cells with broken intercellular connections. Histological analysis shows ruptures of intercellular connections and the formation of bubbles between the granular and horny layers of the skin.
The diagnosis can be made by old resolved blisters, characteristic formations of hyperkeratosis sites, degenerative cells, parakeratosis.
The autoimmune nature of the disease is diagnosed and confirmed through the use of immunological tests. However, not all such studies can accurately differentiate vulgar pemphigus from its leaf-shaped form.
Treatment of leaf-shaped pemphigus
This form of the disease is treated using a variety of techniques, including both drug therapy and additional manipulations. The course of medications for admission must necessarily consist of glucocorticosteroids: triamcinolone or prednisolone, metipred or dexamethasone. Sometimes it is necessary to supplement such a set of drugs with immunosuppressive medications: methotrexate or azathioprine.
Experts note that the combination of corticosteroids with synthetic drugs aimed at combating malaria gives a positive effect in treatment. It can be delagil or plakvinil.
Separately, the patient is shown the use of baths filled with a solution of a disinfectant or anti-inflammatory, astringent.
Prognosis for leaf-shaped pemphigus
Doctors give an unfavorable prognosis for this disease, since it has a long period of course. The patient’s death occurs from cachexia, secondary infection or complications after taking glucocosteroids on a permanent basis.
