Subepidermal autoimmune bullous diseases: overview, epidemiology, and associations.

Subepidermal autoimmune bullous diseases of the skin and mucosae comprise a large group of chronic diseases, including bullous pemphigoid, pemphigoid gestationis, mucous membrane pemphigoid, linear IgA bullous dermatosis, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, and anti-p200 pemphigoid. These diseases are characterized by an antibody response toward structural components of the basement membrane zone, resulting in subepidermal blistering. The epidemiological features of these diseases vary substantially in different regions of the world. Observational studies investigating comorbidities and associations among patients with these diseases are inconsistent and sometimes inconclusive. This review provides a brief overview regarding each one of the subepidermal autoimmune bullous diseases. In addition, it summarizes the most recent understanding of the epidemiological features and associations of this group of organ-specific autoimmune diseases.