eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Bullous Diseases

Pemphigoid Gestationis: Follow-up

Author: Anatoli Freiman, MD, FRCPC, DABD, Consulting Staff, Division of Dermatology, Women's College Hospital, University of Toronto
Coauthor(s): Anju Pabby, MD, Consulting Staff, LK Dermatology and Laser Center
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Dec 9, 2008

Follow-up

Complications

  • Women with pemphigoid gestationis have increased incidences of premature delivery and SGA neonates. An increased lifetime risk of other autoimmune conditions, such as Graves disease, is documented.
  • Infants born to affected women rarely have transient blistering disease. Infants so affected are at risk for infection, thermoregulatory difficulties, and fluid and electrolyte abnormalities.

Prognosis

  • Pemphigoid gestationis typically regresses without scarring within weeks to months after delivery.
  • Pemphigoid gestationis may recur in subsequent pregnancies and may be precipitated by menses and the use of oral contraceptives.
  • Cutaneous involvement in infants is rare (5-10%) and abates with clearance of the maternal antibodies.

Patient Education

  • Patients should understand the benign nature of pemphigoid gestationis. No adverse sequelae, except SGA neonates and prematurity, are noted to date.
  • Patients should be aware that pemphigoid gestationis may recur with subsequent pregnancies, resumption of menses, and use of oral contraceptive agents.
  • The goals of therapy (ie, control pruritus, suppress extensive blistering but not totally eliminate blister formation) should be discussed with the patient prior to treatment.
  • Patients should understand the benefits and potential adverse effects of all prescribed medications.

Miscellaneous

Special Concerns

  • Pemphigoid gestationis shares common features with other dermatosis of pregnancy; these similarities make diagnosis more difficult.
    • The criteria for diagnosis include a compatible clinical picture, the observation of a subepidermal blistering disease upon histopathologic evaluation, and a linear band of C3 at the epidermal-dermal junction detected with DIF testing.
    • An accurate diagnosis is important before therapy is initiated.
  • The risks and benefits of each medication must be assessed for each patient before a therapeutic regimen is chosen.
  • Patients should be made aware of the risks, adverse effects, contraindications, and drug interactions of their medications.
 


More on Pemphigoid Gestationis

Overview: Pemphigoid Gestationis
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Pemphigoid Gestationis
Treatment & Medication: Pemphigoid Gestationis
Follow-up: Pemphigoid Gestationis
Multimedia: Pemphigoid Gestationis
References
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References

  1. Chimanovitch I, Schmidt E, Messer G, Dopp R, Partscht K, Brocker EB, et al. IgG1 and IgG3 are the major immunoglobulin subclasses targeting epitopes within the NC16A domain of BP180 in pemphigoid gestationis. J Invest Dermatol. Jul 1999;113(1):140-2. [Medline].

  2. Jenkins RE, Hern S, Black MM. Clinical features and management of 87 patients with pemphigoid gestationis. Clin Exp Dermatol. Jul 1999;24(4):255-9. [Medline].

  3. Sitaru C, Powell J, Messer G, Brocker EB, Wojnarowska F, Zillikens D. Immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the diagnosis of pemphigoid gestationis. Obstet Gynecol. Apr 2004;103(4):757-63. [Medline].

  4. Amato L, Mei S, Gallerani I, Moretti S, Fabbri P. A case of chronic herpes gestationis: persistent disease or conversion to bullous pemphigoid?. J Am Acad Dermatol. Aug 2003;49(2):302-7. [Medline].

  5. Ambros-Rudolph CM, Mullegger RR, Vaughan-Jones SA, Kerl H, Black MM. The specific dermatoses of pregnancy revisited and reclassified: results of a retrospective two-center study on 505 pregnant patients. J Am Acad Dermatol. Mar 2006;54(3):395-404. [Medline].

  6. Bedocs PM, Kumar V, Mahon MJ. Pemphigoid gestationis: a rare case and review. Arch Gynecol Obstet. May 28 2008;[Medline].

  7. Boulinguez S, Bedane C, Prost C, Bernard P, Labbe L, Bonnetblanc JM. Chronic pemphigoid gestationis: comparative clinical and immunopathological study of 10 patients. Dermatology. 2003;206(2):113-9. [Medline].

  8. Fabbri P, Caproni M, Berti S, Bianchi B, Amato L, De Pita O, et al. The role of T lymphocytes and cytokines in the pathogenesis of pemphigoid gestationis. Br J Dermatol. Jun 2003;148(6):1141-8. [Medline].

  9. Kreuter A, Harati A, Breuckmann F, Appelhans C, Altmeyer P. Intravenous immune globulin in the treatment of persistent pemphigoid gestationis. J Am Acad Dermatol. Dec 2004;51(6):1027-8. [Medline].

  10. Kroumpouzos G, Cohen LM. Dermatoses of pregnancy. J Am Acad Dermatol. Jul 2001;45(1):1-19; quiz 19-22. [Medline].

  11. Lin MS, Arteaga LA, Diaz LA. Herpes gestationis. Clin Dermatol. Nov-Dec 2001;19(6):697-702. [Medline].

  12. Lin MS, Gharia MA, Swartz SJ, Diaz LA, Giudice GJ. Identification and characterization of epitopes recognized by T lymphocytes and autoantibodies from patients with herpes gestationis. J Immunol. Apr 15 1999;162(8):4991-7. [Medline].

  13. Powell AM, Sakuma-Oyama Y, Oyama N, Albert S, Bhogal B, Kaneko F, et al. Usefulness of BP180 NC16a enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the serodiagnosis of pemphigoid gestationis and in differentiating between pemphigoid gestationis and pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy. Arch Dermatol. 2005;141:705-10. [Medline].

  14. Satoh S, Seishima M, Sawada Y, Izumi T, Yoneda K, Kitajima Y. The time course of the change in antibody titres in herpes gestationis. Br J Dermatol. Jan 1999;140(1):119-23. [Medline].

  15. Shimanovich I, Brocker EB, Zillikens D. Pemphigoid gestationis: new insights into the pathogenesis lead to novel diagnostic tools. BJOG. Sep 2002;109(9):970-6. [Medline].

  16. Tunzi M, Gray GR. Common skin conditions during pregnancy. Am Fam Physician. Jan 15 2007;75(2):211-8. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

herpes gestationis, PG, autoimmune dermatosis of pregnancy, pregnancy-associated autoimmune disease, bullous pemphigoid antigen 2, BPAG2, herpetiform blisters, herpes gestationis factor, pruritic urticarial papules, pruritic urticarial blisters

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Anatoli Freiman, MD, FRCPC, DABD, Consulting Staff, Division of Dermatology, Women's College Hospital, University of Toronto
Anatoli Freiman, MD, FRCPC, DABD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Canadian Dermatology Association, Canadian Medical Association, Ontario Medical Association, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and Women's Dermatologic Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Anju Pabby, MD, Consulting Staff, LK Dermatology and Laser Center
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Russell Hall, MD, Chief, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Dermatology, Duke University
Russell Hall, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Dermatological Association, American Federation for Medical Research, American Society for Clinical Investigation, and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: Genetech Grant/research funds Principle Investigator; Centecor  Grant/research funds Principle Investigator

Pharmacy Editor

Richard P Vinson, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Mountain View Dermatology, PA
Richard P Vinson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, Association of Military Dermatologists, Texas Dermatological Society, and Texas Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Julia R Nunley, MD, Professor, Program Director, Dermatology Residency, Department of Dermatology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center
Julia R Nunley, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, American Society of Nephrology, International Society of Nephrology, Medical Dermatology Society, Medical Society of Virginia, National Kidney Foundation, Phi Beta Kappa, and Women's Dermatologic Society
Disclosure: Johnson and Johnson stock holder dividends; Amgen stock holder dividends; Forest Lab, Inc stock holder dividends; Galaxo Smith Klein stock holder dividends; Covidien stock holder dividends; Novartis Grant/research funds Consulting; Biolex  sub-investigator

CME Editor

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE, Medical Director, Clinical Studies Unit, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Associate Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania
Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE is a member of the following medical societies: Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: AMGEN Consulting fee Consulting; AMGEN Grant/research funds None; Genentech Consulting fee Consulting; Centocor Consulting fee Consulting; Centocor Grant/research funds None; Covance Consulting fee Consulting; Shire  Consulting

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD, Director, Department of Dermatology, Geisinger Medical Center
Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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