Clinicopathological Features of Patients with Vesiculobullous Diseases Referred to Dermatology Clinic of Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Background: Bullous diseases are classified as autoimmune blistering diseases, hereditary blistering disorders, and blistering diseases secondary to inflammation and physical trauma. This study evaluated clinicopathological features of patients with bullous diseases. Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of 88 patients with vesiculobullous diseases referred to the dermatology clinic of Afzalipour hospital in Kerman, Iran. Demographic features of the patients, type of lesions, differential diagnosis, and pathological features (site of skin biopsy, final pathological diagnosis, type of inflammatory cells, and direct immunofluorescence results) were recorded. Data were analyzed by chi-square test and independent t-test. Results: Eighty-eight patients (59.1% females and 40.9% males) were evaluated. The mean age of patients was 45.09 ± 20.48 years. Autoimmune blistering diseases, hereditary bullous diseases, and blisters secondary to inflammation and trauma were observed in 79.5%, 11.4%, 6.8%, and 2.3% of the cases, respectively. The most common diseases were pemphigus vulgaris (29.5%) and bullous pemphigoid (21.6%). There was a significant correlation between the type of the disease and the age of patients (P-value = 0.001) and the duration of the disease (0.047). Conclusions: The most common autoimmune blistering diseases, hereditary bullous diseases, and blisters secondary to inflammation and trauma were pemphigus vulgaris, epidermolysis bullosa, lichen planus, and diabetic bullae/friction blister, respectively.