Bullous Pemphigoid and Dermatitis Herpetiformis

Abstract

This study deals with the histopathologic differentiation of dermatitis herpetiformis and bullous pemphigoid in 17 cases where the diagnoses were supported by immunofluorescent examinations. Two distinct patterns of inflammatory infiltration were observed in five cases of dermatitis herpetiformis, (1) papillary leukocytic infiltrates associated with leukocytoclasia and (2) perivascular mixed cellular infiltrates, with edema. In the 12 cases of bullous pemphigoid studied, two major histopathologic inflammatory patterns were also observed, (1) a dermal infiltrate-rich pattern and (2) a dermal infiltrate-poor pattern.