Zhao WL, Ishii K, Egami S, et al. - Given that serum anti-desmoglein (Dsg) IgG autoantibodies detection is beneficial for evaluation of disease activity in pemphigus. Thus, this retrospective analysis reports clinical features and antibody pathogenicity of pemphigus patients positive for anti-Dsg IgG autoantibodies in remission.

• In remission, presence of serum autoantibodies against Dsg in 54.5% patients (positive group; PG) and their absence in 45.5% (negative group; NG) was found.

• Reduction in anti-Dsg antibody titres was evident in remission, vs the active phase, in 33 patients in the PG (n=72) for whom data were available.

• Relative to active phase, there was significant reduction in ability of patients’ sera to block aggregation of Dsg/desmocollin beads in remission.

• Still, whole sera in remission was found to have pathogenic activity in 7 of 9 patients, and the nearly equal amounts of anti-Dsg antibodies in active phase and remission demonstrated similar pathogenicity.

• For pemphigus patients in whom autoantibodies are positive during remission or steroid reduction, these observations will offer guidance.