The "entanglement" between bullous pemphigoid and diabetes mellitus: a comprehensive review and expert recommendations.

Abstract

Introduction: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune bullous disease characterized by subepidermal tense blisters, accompanied by urticarial or eczema-like lesions. Circulating autoantibodies in BP patients target BP180 and BP230 at the dermal-epidermal junction. There has been a growing interest in unraveling the intricate relationship between BP and diabetes mellitus (DM), but a comprehensive review is lacking.

Areas covered: A thorough search of PubMed was conducted to identify studies concerning the association between BP and DM (1978-2023). Our findings comprehensively summarize the intricate association between BP and DM, focusing on the characteristics, potential pathomechanisms, and the influence of various antidiabetic medications on BP development.

Expert opinion: DM emerges as a prevalent comorbidity and potential risk factor for BP. New-onset DM can manifest during BP treatment, primarily due to corticosteroid therapy. Among all antidiabetic medications, dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitors (DPP-4i) have the most solid association with BP onset. Other antidiabetic medications have also been reportedly associated with BP, including meglitinides, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)-receptor agonists, and sodium-dependent glucose transporters 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i). We suggest prescribing DPP-4i in caution for elderly DM patients with a history of autoimmune diseases.