[Value of dapsone in the treatment of rhizomelic pseudopolyarthritis and Horton's disease].

In 11 patients suffering from polymyalgia rheumatica or Horton's disease, dapsone was associated with corticotherapy because of corticosteroid side effects (11 cases) and/or progression of the disease despite relatively high dose steroid therapy (6 cases). This treatment had to be discontinued in 4 patients because of side effects and in 3 patients because of a recurrence of the disease. Despite these numerous withdrawals, dapsone seems to be of clinical benefit in these patients because of 1) the mildness of the side effects observed in this study, 2) its efficacy evaluated on the improvement of clinical signs of the disease and, overall, on the decrease in the corticosteroid consumption.