Mucous membrane pemphigoid is a rare chronic autoimmune subepithelial blistering disease characterized by erosive lesions of the mucous membranes and skin. It is one of the pemphigoid diseases that can result in scarring. Signs and symptoms
The autoimmune reaction most commonly affects the oral mucosa in the mouth, causing lesions in the gums (gingiva), known as desquamative gingivitis. More severe cases can also affect areas of mucous membrane elsewhere in the body, such as the sinuses, genitals, anus, and cornea. When the cornea of the eye is affected, repeated scarring may result in blindness. Brunsting–Perry cicatricial pemphigoid is a rare variant of mucous membrane pemphigoid involving the scalp and the neck without mucosal involvement. It is proposed by some authors that this be called a variant of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita.Nikolskys sign (gentle lateral pressure) on unaffected mucosa or skin raises a bulla. If no lesions are present on examination it may be useful way of demonstrating reduced epithelial adhesion. In contrast, in Pemphigus, the epithelium tends to disintegrate rather than form a bulla. Nikolskys sign is present in pemphigus and mucous membrane pemphigoid, but not in bullous pemphigoid. Pathophysiology
In mucous membrane pemphigoid, the autoimmune reaction occurs in the skin, specifically at the level of the basement membrane, which connects the lower skin layer (dermis) to the upper skin layer (epidermis) and keeps it attached to the body.
In 2021, Gottstein summarized this tangle of legal activities, and their impact on the political landscape of psychiatry and antipsychiatry in the US, in The Zyprexa Papers. Trade names
Olanzapine is generic and available under many trade names worldwide. Dosage forms
Olanzapine is marketed in a number of countries, with tablets ranging from 2.5 to 20 mg. Zyprexa (and generic olanzapine) is available as an orally disintegrating "wafer", which rapidly dissolves in saliva. It is also available in 10-mg vials for intramuscular injection. Research
Olanzapine has been studied as an antiemetic, particularly for the control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV).In general, olanzapine appears to be about as effective as aprepitant for the prevention of CINV, though some concerns remain for its use in this population. For example, concomitant use of metoclopramide or haloperidol increases the risk for extrapyramidal symptoms. Otherwise, olanzapine appears to be fairly well tolerated for this indication, with somnolence being the most common side effect.Olanzapine has been considered as part of an early psychosis approach for schizophrenia. The Prevention through Risk Identification, Management, and Education  study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and Eli Lilly, tested the hypothesis that olanzapine might prevent the onset of psychosis in people at very high risk for schizophrenia. The study examined 60 patients with prodromal schizophrenia, who were at an estimated risk of 36–54% of developing schizophrenia within a year, and treated half with olanzapine and half with placebo. In this study, patients receiving olanzapine did not have a significantly lower risk of progressing to psychosis.