Nasal, pharyngeal, and laryngeal pemphigus vulgaris successfully treated with rituximab.

Pemphigus vulgaris is a potentially fatal autoimmune blistering disease that can involve the nasopharyngeal and laryngeal tissues. The disease can be recalcitrant to conventional oral treatments, and treatment alternatives are limited. This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy of rituximab as a rescue agent in 5 patients with recalcitrant pemphigus vulgaris involving nasopharyngeal and laryngeal mucosa. All 5 patients were unresponsive to systemic steroids and at least one conventional oral immunosuppressive agent. The patients received rituximab infusions as a rescue agent because of recalcitrant disease. All 5 patients had a complete clinical response to rituximab and could discontinue systemic steroids and reduce the dosage of their initial immunosuppressive agent. No major adverse reactions were observed or reported with rituximab. Rituximab can be used as an effective rescue agent in the treatment of severe pemphigus vulgaris with nasopharyngeal and laryngeal involvement.