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Autoimmune Blistering Diseases in the Elderly: Clinical Presentations and Management

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Abstract

Elderly patients are more susceptible to the development of autoimmune blistering disorders such as bullous pemphigoid, mucous membrane pemphigoid, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, and paraneoplastic pemphigus. This article focuses on the clinical aspects of the aforementioned autoimmune blistering diseases and highlights the important factors involved in treating elderly patients. It is essential for clinicians to offer individualized treatment plans for these patients to optimize outcomes, as elderly patients often have multiple co-morbidities, polypharmacy, and suboptimal socioeconomic status that can adversely influence adequate compliance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, St. George Hospital, Gray St, Kogarah, Sydney, 2217, NSW, Australia

    Minhee Kim & Dédée F. Murrell

  2. University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Minhee Kim & Dédée F. Murrell

  3. Department of Dermatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland

    Luca Borradori

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Minhee Kim, Luca Borradori, and Dédée F. Murrell have no conflicts of interest.

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Kim, M., Borradori, L. & Murrell, D.F. Autoimmune Blistering Diseases in the Elderly: Clinical Presentations and Management. Drugs Aging 33, 711–723 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-016-0402-1

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