Impact of COVID-19 on autoimmune blistering diseases

Abstract Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, attention has gradually moved from the respiratory manifestations of the disease towards the dermatologic aspects. The need of wearing personal protective measures and their cutaneous side effects, detection of related or specific COVID-19 skin eruptions, and the evaluation of certain risk groups of immunosuppressed dermatologic patients have motivated significant discussions about various therapeutic interventions, and in particular about biologic therapy for psoriasis and for autoinflammatory, orphan, or malignant cutaneous disorders. Autoimmune bullous dermatoses (AIBD) have been of concern due to their chronic course, sometimes life-threatening prognosis, and the need for prolonged and often aggressive immunomodulatory therapy. We have summarized the current knowledge on the impact of COVID-19 infection on AIBD, including recommendations for the main treatment strategies, available patient information, and the registries organized for documenting during the COVID-19 pandemic.