Treatment of pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus with mycophenolate mofetil.

BACKGROUND Mycophenolate mofetil is increasingly being used as a corticosteroid-sparing agent in immunosuppressive regimens. OBJECTIVE To elucidate the effectiveness of mycophenolate as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of both pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus. DESIGN Historical prospective study. SETTING University hospital. PATIENTS The study included 42 consecutive patients with pemphigus (31 with pemphigus vulgaris and 11 with pemphigus foliaceus) who had relapses during prednisone taper or had clinically significant adverse effects from previous drug therapy. RESULTS Remission was achieved in 22 (71%) and 5 (45%) of patients with pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus, respectively. Partial remission was achieved in 1 (3%) and 4 (36%), respectively. The median time to achieve complete remission was 9 months (range, 1-13 months). The treatment was administered for a median of 22 months, and the median follow-up period was 22 months. Seventy-seven percent of patients had no adverse effect. Two patients had side effects severe enough to necessitate discontinuation of treatment, one because of symptomatic but reversible neutropenia and the other because of nausea. CONCLUSION Mycophenolate is an effective and safe adjuvant in the treatment of both pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus.