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Consensus statement on definitions of disease, end points, and therapeutic response for pemphigus

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2008.01.012Get rights and content

Our scientific knowledge of pemphigus has dramatically progressed in recent years. However, despite the availability of various therapeutic options for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, only a few multicenter controlled trials have helped to define effective therapies in pemphigus. A major obstacle in comparing therapeutic outcomes between centers is the lack of generally accepted definitions and measurements for the clinical evaluation of patients with pemphigus. Common terms and end points of pemphigus are needed so that experts in the field can accurately measure and assess disease extent, activity, severity, and therapeutic response, and thus facilitate and advance clinical trials. This consensus statement from the International Pemphigus Committee represents 2 years of collaborative efforts to attain mutually acceptable common definitions for pemphigus. These should assist in development of consistent reporting of outcomes in future studies.

Abbreviations used

AAD
American Academy of Dermatology
NIH
National Institutes of Health
PDAI
pemphigus disease area index
PSS
pemphigus severity score
PV
pemphigus vulgaris

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Funding for meeting support of the International Pemphigus Committee was provided by the International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation. Additional partial support was provided by a grant from the National Institutes of Health K24-AR 02207 (Dr Werth).

Conflicts of interest: None declared.

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