The spectrum of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita.

A patient has an acquired, scarring, bullous eruption. The severity of the cutaneous, ocular, esophageal, and laryngeal scarring was suggestive of cicatricial pemphigoid or the severely dystrophic forms of epidermolysis bullosa. Clinical features and histologic and immunofluorescence and electron microscopic study led to the diagnosis of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita. The spectrum of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita includes cases that closely approximate the severity of disease previously recognized only for the recessive form of epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica.