Randomized double blind trial of prednisolone and azathioprine, vs. prednisolone and placebo, in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris

Background The classic treatment for pemphigus vulgaris is prednisolone. Immunosuppressive drugs can be used in association. Objective To compare the efficacy of Azathioprine in reducing the Disease Activity Index (DAI). Patients and methods A double blind randomized controlled study was conducted on 56 new patients, assigned to two therapeutic groups: (i) prednisolone plus placebo; (ii) prednisolone plus Azathioprine. Patients were checked regularly for 1 year. ‘Complete remission’ was defined as healing of all lesions after 12 months, and prednisolone