A 72-year-old nursing home resident is complaining of pruritis. She is noted to have multiple, tense blisters on her trunk as well as the flexor surfaces of her extremities. The blisters have an erythematous base. You are unable to extend the blisters when you apply lateral traction. You suspect an autoimmune bullous dermatosis. Which of the following is the cause of the likely condition?
AAntibodies to epidermal transglutaminase
BEpidermal necrolysis
CAntibodies to hemidesmosomes
DAntibodies to desmoglein
EAntibodies to desmosomes
A 23-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a 5-month history of a pruritic rash on the bilateral upper extremities. She has no history of serious illness and takes no medications. A skin biopsy of the rash shows intraepidermal accumulation of edematous fluid and widening of intercellular spaces between keratinocytes. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
ADermatitis herpetiformis
BEczematous dermatitis
CAcanthosis nigricans
DLichen planus
EPsoriasis vulgaris
A 29-year-old woman presents with skin lesions on her elbows and forearms. She notes that they first started appearing 2 months ago and have not improved. She describes the lesions as painless and rarely itchy. She denies any similar symptoms in the past, and has no other significant past medical history. Review of systems is significant for recent joint pain, conjunctivitis, and corneal dryness. The patient is afebrile and vital signs are within normal limits. Non-tender, raised, inflamed, white-silver maculopapular lesions are present. Which of the following are the most likely histopathologic findings in this patient's skin biopsy?
AIntercellular edema with detachment at basal level
BAcanthosis, hyperkeratosis with parakeratosis, and dermal papillary capillary proliferation
CCytoplasmic vacuolation
DNuclear atypia, cellular pleomorphism, and a disorganized structure of cells from basal to apical layers of the tissue
ESubepidermal blister with detachment at dermal-epidermal junction
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