Treatment
Pemphigus can be fatal because of the infectious sores and therfore must be treated. Treatment is aimed at:-
- healing the existing sores
- reducing the formation of new blisters
- preventing the formation of autoantibodiesÂ
- controlling the bodies inflammatory response.
The patient must be constantly monitored by doctors as the drugs that they take can evoke severe side effects.
Some of the treatment modalities include the following:-
Advertisement
- Administering oral steroids, such as prednisone, is the most common and effective mode of treatment. Adjuvant drugs are given alongside the steroids to avoid the latter’s side effect .
- Mild cases of pemphigus can be controlled by topical application of steroids
- Administering gamma globulin intravenously is particularly useful in the case of paraneoplastic pemphigus.
- Recently, a monoclonal antibody, Rituximab, was found to be particularly effective in controlling very severe types of P. vulgaris.
- In case of pulmonary disease accompanying paraneoplastic pemphigus immuno suppressive drugs (ciclosporin, azathioprine, thalidomide) are also administered in order to prevent bronchiolitis obliterans
- Antibiotics may be prescribed to treat infections
- Gentle cleansing of the wounds and topical application of medications is also mandatory
- Pain is closely linked to the disease and hence pain management must be resorted to.
