Background& Objective: pemphigus vulgaris is a life threatening relapsing disease, the first line in its
treatment is systemic steroids, and due to the high rate of side effects caused by systemic steroids in
pemphigus vulgaris patients ,some immun
osuppressant drugs have been introduced as an adjuvant
steroid sparing agents , and one of these immunosuppressants is azathioprine, which is the most used drug
by therapists, but this use was due to experience and not due to strict studies , this research studies the
relationship between azathioprine and relapse in pemphigus vulgaris patients during the prednisolone
reduction period.
Materials & Methods: 70 pemphigus vulgaris patients have been studied, from the patients of the
dermatology university hospital during the period between 1/8/2008 -29/5/2011 (the first year for
collecting the sample and the rest for follow-up) they have been divided into 2 groups. The first: were
treated with prednisolone plus azathioprine (30 patients ), the second : were treated with prednisolone
alone (40 patients ).and after the control of the disease the dose of prednisolone was reduced gradually ,till
it was stopped, and patients were observed for relapse.
Results: there was no meaningful statistical difference between the two groups in the terms of relapse, as
giving azathioprine did not reduce the relapse rate, and did not reduce the prednisolone dose needed to
prevent relapse.
Conclusion: in this study no use of azathioprine in preventing relapse in pemphigus vulgaris patients, so
we advise for more studies to confirm that, and to give more attention during its prescription.
pemphigus vulgaris is a life threatening relapsing disease, the first line in its
treatment is systemic steroids, and due to the high rate of side effects caused by systemic steroids in
pemphigus vulgaris patients, some immunosuppressant drugs have
been introduced as an adjuvant
steroid sparing agents, and one of these immunosuppressants is methotrexate, and in spite of the lack of
its use in pemphigus vulgaris, a few studies have shown an encouraging results of its use, and have advised
to carry out more studies about it as an immunosuppressant which has been omitted from usage in
pemphigus vulgaris for a long time.
