A comparison of anti-desmoglein antibodies and indirect immunofluorescence in the serodiagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris.

BACKGROUND

Indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) is the standard method for the detection of pemphigus autoantibodies. Commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) have recently become available to measure serum antibodies (Abs) against desmoglein1 (Dsg1) and desmoglein3 (Dsg3). It has been suggested that patients with mucosal-dominant pemphigus vulgaris (PV) have serum Abs against Dsg3 only, patients with mucocutaneous PV have Abs to both Dsg1 and Dsg3, and patients with pemphigus foliaceus (PF) have Abs against Dsg1 only.

AIM

To compare the sensitivity and specificity of the IIF and ELISA tests in the diagnosis of pemphigus and its subsets.

METHODS

Thirty-three patients with PV and five patients with PF were studied, and compared with 50 healthy individuals or patients with unrelated skin diseases. Monkey esophagus was used as a substrate for the IIF test.

RESULTS

The IIF and ELISA tests were each positive in 26 of the 32 (81%) PV patients, and in none (0%) and 3 (6%) of the 50 controls, respectively. Both the IIF and ELISA results were concordant in 69% of the PV patients, and only one of these two tests was positive in the remaining 31% of patients. Forty-six per cent of the PV patients with a positive ELISA test did not have the PV phenotype (mucosal or mucocutaneous) predicted by their autoantibody profile.

CONCLUSION

The IIF and ELISA tests may be used as complementary tests for the serologic diagnosis of pemphigus.