Incidence of pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus in North-East Poland (Podlaskie Province) - a 15-year (2001-2015) bicentric retrospective study.

BACKGROUND

The average incidence of pemphigus reported from European countries ranged between 0.5 and eight cases per one million inhabitants. Studies on epidemiology of pemphigus group in entire Province of Poland over a period of more than a decade are lacking.

AIM

To analyze the incidence of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and pemphigus foliaceus (PF) in Podlaskie Province (North-East Poland) in years 2001-2015 with regard to patients' age, gender, and residency.

RESULTS

Sixty-six cases of pemphigus were diagnosed in the period analyzed: 44 cases of PV (66.67%) and 22 of PF (33.33%). Female to male ratio was 2.88. The average incidence of PV and PF together was 3.67 ± 2.19 per one million inhabitants. In females the incidence was 5.34 ± 3.20 and in males, 1.90 ± 1.91 (P < 0.05). The incidence in inhabitants of rural areas was 4.96 ± 4.07 and those of urban areas, 2.70 ± 2.01 (P < 0.05). The age of the pemphigus onset was 54.69 ± 12.58 for PV and 64.24 ± 13.33 for PF (P < 0.05). The majority of PV and PF patients were residents of urban areas and rural areas, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of pemphigus group in Podlaskie Province was within the range of the average incidence rates reported from other European countries. Surprisingly, the female to male ratio was the highest in Europe. Moreover, for the first time we have demonstrated that the incidence was higher in the population living in rural than in urban areas. Similar studies in other regions of Poland are needed.