Treatment
At the moment, my research on treatment for pemphigus vulgaris is in a publicly-accessible Google spreadsheet .
The goal of PV treatment to decrease blister formation and promote healing of existing of blisters. The most promising long-term treatment is with rituxan, an antibody therapy initially developed for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. (What is rituximab and how does it work ?)
However, in the short-term, the goal is to stop production of new blisters and then allow existing blisters to heal. Commonly prescribed drugs include corticosteroids (prednisone) and steroid-sparing drugs (such asmycophenolate mofetil ), immunosuppressive drugs , and biologics (rituxan). The side-effects of these medications can be extensive and serious.
There is detailed information on treatment options at the Pemphigus.org website.
Patient support
- International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation
- PV at RareConnect (network for those with rare diseases)
Additional information about PV
- My road to rituximab (Jack Sherman)
- PV at MedLinePlus (some articles require free registration)
- PV in Merck Manual
- PV in NIH Rare Disease Directory
See What is pemphigus vulgaris?
