Is Bullous Pemphigoid Associated with Neurologic Disorders?

Patients with BP were more likely than the general population to have history of dementia and to develop Parkinson disease.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) occurs with higher frequency in older individuals, who might also be at risk for various neurologic disorders. Is BP is associated with neurologic disorders, such as dementia, stroke, and Parkinson disease, or does their co-occurrence reflect a co-localization of disease in an older population? To explore this question, researchers turned to the Rochester Epidemiology Project databases, which have been used in several previous epidemiologic studies.

Eighty-seven residents of Olmsted County, MN, with a first diagnosis of BP between 1960 and 2009 were identified. Each was matched with three controls by age, sex, and residency in the county. BP diagnoses were confirmed by medical record review for compatible clinical fea…

Reviewing Author

Jeffrey P. Callen, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board XOMA; Eli Lilly; Celgene

Equity Various trust accounts

Editorial boards JAMA Dermatology; UpToDate

Leadership positions in professional societies Association of Professors of Dermatology (President-Elect)