Keywords
Pemphigus vulgaris
Corticosteroids
Rituximab
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Abstract
Objective: To report the case of a patient diagnosed with Pemphigus Vulgaris (PV), difficult to control clinically, who developed serious complications following conventional treatment and improved after the use of Rituximab (RTX). Case details: This is a descriptive observational study, of the case report type, on a male patient, 42 years old, followed at the dermatology outpatient clinic of the Hospital Universitário Lauro Wanderley, of the Federal University of Paraíba, linked to the Empresa Brasileira de Serviços Hospitalares (HULW-UFPB/Ebserh), between the years 2020 and 2022. He presented disseminated bullous lesions on the skin and mucous membranes, where he was diagnosed with PV, through a histopathological study of a skin fragment and started systemic corticosteroids (CTC), associated with Azathioprine, however, presents refractoriness to treatment and complications such as secondary bacterial infection and multiple episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. After laboratory evaluation, the patient underwent RTX infusion, with excellent clinical response. Final considerations: Conventional treatment of PV can lead to serious complications, which prolong hospitalization and increase the risk of mortality and permanent sequelae. Therefore, management of critically ill patients must be as appropriate, early and safe as possible.
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