Oral mucous membrane pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris-a retrospective two-center cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Few studies have compared oral mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV). Descriptive analysis of oral features, extent of extra-oral involvement, and management outcomes were performed.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients with PV and MMP, the latter with exclusive oral involvement at first presentation, were included.

RESULTS: There were 26 MMP (46%) and 31 PV (54%) patients. Desquamative gingivitis was evident in 84% of MMP cases compared to 28% of PV cases (P < 0.05). Non-gingival lesions were noted in 6% of MMP cases compared to 55% of PV cases (P < 0.01). Management of MMP consisted of only topical corticosteroids in 88% of cases while 12% of cases required concomitant systemic therapy. All PV cases (100%) required systemic therapy. No patients with MMP developed scarring or ocular lesions, and one patient (4%) developed cutaneous lesions. Five PV cases (16%) had oral cavity involvement only with three (60%) developing pharyngeal involvement and two (40%) developing cutaneous lesions on follow-up.

CONCLUSION: Oral MMP presents primarily as desquamative gingivitis, infrequently involving extragingival sites, and is highly amenable to topical therapy, while PV is a systemic mucocutaneous disease with extensive non-gingival oral lesions that almost always requires systemic therapy.