Bullous pemphigoid, cicatricial pemphigoid, and pemphigus vulgaris. A comparative clinical survey of 278 cases.

The clinical features of bullous pemphigoid (BP), cicatricial pemphigoid (CP), and pemphigus vulgaris (PV), based upon examination of 278 patients during the years 1972 through 1981, are recorded. Data in relation to age, sex, site of onset, duration of the disease at the site of onset, distribution of oral, skin, and extracutaneous lesions, and time of final diagnosis are analyzed for each disease separately, and a detailed discussion in comparison with previous reports follows. Comparative evaluation of all the clinical data permitted identification of similarities and differences in the clinical manifestations within this disease group and provided an opportunity to increase our knowledge and understanding of the overall clinical behavior of these bullous diseases. Greater awareness of these entities, which very often involve the oral mucosa, in correlation with careful clinical observation is of particular importance and leads to early diagnosis and improved treatment.