A CASE OF MUCOUS MEMBRANE PEMPHIGOID DETECTED BY ESOPHAGOGASTRODUODENOSCOPY

Abstract

A 76-year-old woman complained of nausea and was referred to our hospital. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed circumferential desquamation of the mucosal surface of the upper thoracic esophagus. Symblepharon and blisters in her extremities and trunk were observed on physical examination. A skin biopsy revealed significant infiltration of neutrophils and eosinophils into the subepithelial blisters. Direct immunofluorescence microscopy detected continuous granular deposits of C3 and linear deposits of IgG and IgA in the epithelial basement membrane zone. Collectively, mucous membrane pemphigoid was diagnosed. We believe examination for involvements of other organs can help in making a diagnosis of such a rare disease entity whenever we find atypical esophageal lesions.