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The article focuses on assessing whether sites of primary lesions in pemphigus vulgaris (PV) are more susceptible to relapse. It identifies the anatomical locations where initial lesions occur and determines if these same sites are more likely to experience relapses. It suggests that tissue-resident memory T cells may play a significant role in this phenomenon, potentially explaining why certain sites are recurrently affected.

Background: The optimal treatment for pemphigus vulgaris (PV) has not been clearly determined yet. Rituximab (RTX) was recently approved for the management of adults with moderate to severe PV. Objectives: This prospective observational study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of biosimilar RTX in PV patients. Methods: The efficacy and safety were evaluated by assessing the pemphigus disease area index (PDAI) score, clinical response and any adverse events (AEs) during at least 12-month follow-up. We evaluated anti-desmoglein (Dsg) 1,3 level at baseline, 3 months and 12 months after RTX infusion. Results: A total of 110 patients treated with biosimilar RTX were enrolled between May 2016 and July 2017. The mean age was 43.58 ± 11.77 years and the mean follow-up time was 16.22 ± 3.45 months. A notable decrease in PDAI score, anti-Dsg 1,3 level and prednisolone dosage was observed. Median delay to achieve complete remission (CR), median duration of CR, and median time to relapse were 3, 9, and 12 months, respectively. Newly diagnosed patients (NDPs) experienced higher rate of CR, longer duration of remission and lower risk of relapse, compared to previously treated patients (PTPs). A total of 47 AEs were observed in 33 (30%) patients, which were mostly mild infusion-related reactions. Conclusion: Administration of biosimilar RTX in PV patients was associated with desirable outcomes in terms of efficacy and safety in both NDPs and PTPs.First-line use of RTX in NDPs was more effective and allowed a rapid tapering of corticosteroid doses compared to PTPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Port wine stain (PWS) is a congenital vascular malformation, which is visible at the birth as the red patches, mostly on the face and neck. Previous studies have shown good efficacy and safety of 595-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL). Here, we have conducted a prospective study to assess the efficacy and safety profile of pediatrics with PWS, treated with 595-nm PDL. Twenty-seven patients (10 males and 17 females) with the mean age of 5.7 ± 2.8 (range 1–13) years old were included in the study. Following 6.2 (range 4–10) sessions of treatment, 70.74 ± 18.5% of improvement was detected three months after the final session. Fourteen (51.8%) patients achieved a higher than 75% of improvement; nine (33.4%) patients experienced 50%-75% improvement; four (14.8%) patients experienced a less than 50% improvement. V1 involvement and a marked improvement within the first five sessions found to be good prognostic factors. Regarding age, sex, skin type, color and size of the PWS, no significant association with therapeutic response were detected. Blister and crust, atrophic macules, and hyperpigmentation were noted in six (22.2%), one (3.7%), and one (3.7%), respectively. In conclusion, 595-nm PDL looks an effective and relatively safe therapeutic approach in the treatment of Iranian pediatric PWS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]