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Pemphigoid vegetans is a rare variant of bullous pemphigoid characterized by vegetative and purulent lesions of the groin, axillae, thighs, hands, eyelids, and perioral regions. The clinical features and histological findings of pemphigus vegetans and immunohistochemical characteristics of bullous pemphigoid are shown. An 86-year-old woman presented with vegetative lesions in the vulva and groin, and blisters on the head, neck, axillae, and thighs. Although clinically suspected as pemphigus vegetans, skin biopsy showed subepidermal clefts with eosinophil infiltration and eosinophilic pustules in the epidermis. Direct immunofluorescence analysis showed linear deposition of immunoglobulin (Ig)G along the basement membrane zone. Indirect immunofluorescence using 1 mol/L NaCl salt-split skin showed linear deposition of IgG on the epidermal side. Chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were positive for BP180 and BP230. Immunoblotting of recombinant protein of the BP180 C-terminal domain showed positive reactivity. Pemphigoid vegetans was diagnosed and treated successfully with oral corticosteroids. This is the first case of pemphigoid vegetans reported to date with detection of autoantibodies against both BP180 C-terminal domain and BP230., (© 2021 Japanese Dermatological Association.)

We report 2 cases of reversible ventricular hypertrophy in patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy (stress-induced cardiomyopathy) during recovery of cardiac function. The first case involved a 72-year-old woman who presented with cerebral infarction. On admission, an elevated troponin I and decreased apical wall motion were observed with normal myocardial perfusion imaging. The second case involved a 79-year-old woman who presented with angina, anxiety resulting from emotional stress, slightly decreased apical wall motion, and normal epicardial arteries. In both cases, apical hypertrophy of the left ventricle was observed at approximately 3 weeks after onset, when the wall motion had improved. The ventricular wall gradually became thinner over time. To our knowledge, this is the first report of reversible ventricular hypertrophy in patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy. We hypothesize the hypertrophic signaling in the myocardium was stimulated by catecholamines, which are the suggested etiology of takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and the hypertrophied myocardium gradually returned to normal as the syndrome receded., (© 2013, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)