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

The authors report two cases of Horton's disease and one case of rhizomelic pseudopolyarthritis treated initially with delta-cortisone with a very rapid favourable result. However, while under relatively high dose steroid therapy, there was recurrence of the disease in the three cases and the development of complications of steroid therapy prohibited the use of higher doses of delta-cortisone and even required its rapid weaning. In these three cases, the addition of 100 mg of dapsone per day led to a rapid control of the disease, with return to normal of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and reduction of the doses of delta-cortisone. The authors discuss the place of dapsone in the treatment of Horton's disease and rhizomelic pseudopolyarthritis in the light of these three cases.