Dermatitis Herpetiformis: An Overview
Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a severe itchy, blistering manifestation of
celiac disease. The rash usually occurs on the elbows, knees, and buttocks. Not all people with celiac disease develop dermatitis herpetiformis. Unlike other forms of celiac disease, the range of intestinal abnormalities in dermatitis herpetiformis is highly variable, from minimal to severe. Only about 20 percent of people with dermatitis herpetiformis have intestinal
symptoms of celiac disease.
Diagnosing Dermatitis Herpetiformis
To diagnose dermatitis herpetiformis, the doctor will test the person's blood for autoantibodies related to celiac disease and will take a biopsy of the person's skin. If the antibody tests are positive, and the skin biopsy has the typical findings of dermatitis herpetiformis, patients do not need to have an intestinal biopsy.
Treatment for Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Both the skin disease and the intestinal disease respond to a
gluten-free diet and recur if gluten is added back into the diet. In addition, the rash symptoms can be controlled with medications such as dapsone.
However, dapsone does not treat the intestinal condition; people with dermatitis herpetiformis should also maintain a gluten-free diet.
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