ROLE OF DIRECT IMMUNOFLOURESCENCE ON PLUCKED HAIR IN PATIENTS WITH PEMPHIGUS VULGARIS

BACKGROUND-- It has recently been demonstated in a few studies that plucked hair can be used as a substrate for Direct Immunoflourescence (DIF) in both clinically histopathologically diagnosed pemphigus vulgaris patients. OBJECTIVE-- Our main aim was to assess the sensitivity of DIF in plucked hair its role in the diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris patients , whose perilesional skin DIF was also done. METHODS-- In this study, 43 cases were included, retrospectively over a period of 3 years (2008 2010) who were clinically diagnosed pemphigus vulgaris , for whom peri lesional skin DIF was done for IgG along with plucked hair to detect IgG. RESULTS-- Immuno deposits favouring Pemphigus vulgaris in both hair skin in 32 cases and perilesional skin alone in 11 cases. CONCLUSION-- Its likely to emphasize that with a sensitivity of about 75 , the use of hair alone as a substrate is not a suitable alternative , rather it would supplement the results of skin. In cases of strongly positive IgG in ICS of skin, plucked hair can be used for further follow up.