Immunologic prediction of relapse in patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) in clinical remission.

Background: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is characterized by multiple relapses, occurring especially in patients on minimal therapy or off therapy.

Objective: To identify immunologic predictors (anti-desmoglein [Dsg] 1 and 3 antibodies; direct immunofluorescence [DIF]) for relapse in PV patients.

Methods: Eighty-nine patients in complete clinical remission for at least 6 months and receiving less than or equal to 10 mg prednisolone daily and no immunosuppressive drugs were evaluated using DIF (n=89) and Dsg ELISA (n=46).