Parkinson's Disease Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Parkinson's Disease, including details on symptoms, treatment, genetics, medication.

A retrospective epidemiological study on the association of bullous pemphigoid and neurological diseases.

Stinco G, Codutti R, Scarbolo M, Valent F, Patrone P

Department of Clinical and Experimental Pathology and Medicine, DPMSC Institute of Dermatology, University of Udine, 33013 Gemona del Friuli, Italy.

Bullous pemphigoid is a rare chronic recurrent dermatosis that is often reported in association with various neurological diseases. No investigation involving a large number of patients has ever been carried out to demonstrate such an association. This study was accomplished by analysing the discharge diagnosis of all hospitalized patients, both day-patients and inpatients, during a 5-year period (1995-2000) covering a total population group of 934,023 living in a region of Italy that has approximately 1,200,000 inhabitants. The results support the hypothesis of an association between bullous pemphigoid, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease on a highly significant statistical basis. The aetiopathogenic mechanisms and the causes that induce the loss of immunological tolerance are not yet understood.

Published 12 April 2005 in Acta Derm Venereol, 85(2): 136-9.
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