GERIATRICDERMATOLOGY,PARTII 0749–0690/02 $15.00 + .00 BULLOUSDISEASES INTHEELDERLY DiyaF.Mutasim,MD,andGrantJ.Anhalt,MD Bullousdiseasesareagroupofskindisordersinwhichtheprimary lesionisavesicleorbulla.Theycanbedividedintofoursubgroupsbased onthepathomechanismofblisterformation: Autoimmune Pemphigus Pemphigoid Epidermolysisbullosaacquisita Dermatitisherpetiformis LinearIgAdisease Mechanical (Epidermolysis Bullosa) Epidermolysisbullosasimplex Junctionalepidermolysisbullosa Dystrophicepidermolysisbullosa Metabolic Porphyria Diabeticbullae Bullousamyloidosis Allergic Bullouserythemamultiforme Toxicepidermalnecrolysis Bullousdrugeruption Acuteallergiccontactdermatitis Althoughthesediseasesaffectpatientsinallagegroups,theelderly areparticularlysusceptibletotheautoimmuneandthemetabolicbullous From the Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio (DFM); and the Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins Univer- sitySchoolofMedicine,Baltimore,Maryland(GJA) CLINICSINGERIATRICMEDICINE VOLUME18 • NUMBER1 • FEBRUARY2002 43