Abstract
Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune disease with intractable massive blisters of the skin or mucosa. Patients with oral mucosal lesions often cannot eat because of unbearable pain. Although steroids and immunosuppressants are commonly used to PV, these therapies are ineffective or cannot be continued because of side effects in some patients. We reported a case of the PV of the upper and lower gingiva in which treatment with predonisolone and cyclosporine A was ineffective, but double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) was effective. The patient was a 36-year-man who could not eat anything at presentation. After treatment, oral intake became possible because pain of the oral mucosa had resolved. In this patient, the anti-desmoglein 3 antibody in blood decreased with the resolution of clinical symptoms.
