Guide To The Conditions That Trachyonychia Can Indicate

Pemphigus Vulgaris

Patients with pemphigus vulgaris have also reported having symptoms associated with trachyonychia. Pemphigus vulgaris is a rare skin disease commonly seen in middle-aged and older adults. It is caused by a reaction of an autoantibody-mediated response that breaks apart intercellular connections. Over time the condition progresses, and the lesions increase in size and distribution, behaving physiologically like a severe burn. Blisters may commonly appear on the skin and other mucosal membranes, such as the nose, esophagus, genitalia, conjunctiva, and anus. Weight loss and malnutrition may be the result of pain when chewing.

Due to the disease's unusual nature, its diagnosis is very complex and may take some time. A punch biopsy in the area may be needed for an accurate assessment. The most common treatment consists of immunosuppressive medications and corticosteroids. However, some professionals consider monoclonal antibodies such as rituximab the first-line treatment. In the past, the mortality rate for the disease used to be as high as ninety percent. Now, after the advent of modern medicine, it has decreased considerably since the introduction of corticosteroids. Even though it is rare, some pemphigus vulgaris patients may have some nail involvement, such as Beau's lines and trachyonychia.