Yonit Wohl1, Sarah Brenner. 1. Department of Dermatology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite the high incidence of pemphigus in the Jewish population, data on the epidemiology and etiology of the disease in Israel are sparse. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to identify clinical and epidemiologic features of pemphigus patients in Israel, while searching for risk factors that induce or exacerbate the disease. METHODS: Demographic and clinical information was recorded from the charts of 55 pemphigus patients treated over a 5 year period. A sample of 22 patients was compared to 22 age and gender-matched controls by means of a questionnaire querying details on lifestyle, including occupation, diet, sun exposure, and smoking. RESULTS: The findings show that the typical Israeli pemphigus patient is middle-aged, married, and of East European or Middle Eastern origin. The most common diagnosed clinical variant was pemphigus vulgaris, followed by pemphigus erythematosus. Some 70% of patients were treated with two or more immunosuppressive drugs and 62% entered long-lasting remission. Twenty-three percent of patients were exposed through their work to chemical substances, mainly pesticides, at the beginning of the disease and 18% of patients were continually exposed to ultraviolet radiation 5 years prior to onset of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: There is a possible correlation between occupational exposure to pesticides and UV radiation, and pemphigus induction.
BACKGROUND: Despite the high incidence of pemphigus in the Jewish population, data on the epidemiology and etiology of the disease in Israel are sparse. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to identify clinical and epidemiologic features of pemphigus patients in Israel, while searching for risk factors that induce or exacerbate the disease. METHODS: Demographic and clinical information was recorded from the charts of 55 pemphigus patients treated over a 5 year period. A sample of 22 patients was compared to 22 age and gender-matched controls by means of a questionnaire querying details on lifestyle, including occupation, diet, sun exposure, and smoking. RESULTS: The findings show that the typical Israeli pemphigus patient is middle-aged, married, and of East European or Middle Eastern origin. The most common diagnosed clinical variant was pemphigus vulgaris, followed by pemphigus erythematosus. Some 70% of patients were treated with two or more immunosuppressive drugs and 62% entered long-lasting remission. Twenty-three percent of patients were exposed through their work to chemical substances, mainly pesticides, at the beginning of the disease and 18% of patients were continually exposed to ultraviolet radiation 5 years prior to onset of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: There is a possible correlation between occupational exposure to pesticides and UV radiation, and pemphigus induction.
Authors: Beatriz Smidt Celere; Sebastian Vernal; Leonardo La Serra; Maria José Franco Brochado; Luiz Eduardo Moschini; Ana Maria Roselino; Susana Inés Segura-Muñoz Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2017-09-21 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Carla Andréa Avelar Pires; Viviane Brito Viana; Fernando Costa Araújo; Silvia Ferreira Rodrigues Müller; Miguel Saraty de Oliveira; Francisca Regina Oliveira Carneiro Journal: An Bras Dermatol Date: 2014 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 1.896