Prevalence of autoimmune diseases in the family members of patients with pemphigus vulgaris.

BACKGROUND: Several studies show that the family members of patients with autoimmune diseases are more susceptible to the development of the same or, more frequently, other autoimmune diseases. Although an association between pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and other autoimmune diseases has been reported, the presence of autoimmune diseases in the family members of patients with PV has not been studied.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether first-degree relatives of patients with PV are more susceptible to the development of autoimmune diseases.

METHODS: A case-control study was done. A total of 830 first-degree relatives of 60 white patients with PV were compared with 890 relatives of 60 age-, race-, and sex-matched random controls. Both groups of relatives were screened for the presence of 16 autoimmune diseases.

RESULTS: There was a highly significant increase in the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in the first-degree family members of PV patients, compared with controls.

CONCLUSION: There is an increased susceptibility to the development of autoimmune diseases in the family members of patients with PV.