title: A retrospective study of the management of oral mucous membrane pemphigoid with dapsone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the efficacy of dapsone therapy in the management of mucous membrane pemphigoid.
  
  
  METHODS
  The charts of 29 patients who had been diagnosed with mucous membrane pemphigoid by means of routine histologic analysis and direct immunofluorescence were reviewed. The oral features were graded according to severity of disease from 1 to 3. Each patient was assigned to one of 4 groups according to his or her response to therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine patients were treated successfully with topical corticosteroids alone. Eleven patients with moderate to severe disease who were treated initially with topical steroids showed minimal improvement; after dapsone was added, 7 of the 11 had total resolution of their lesions and 4 had greater than 75% improvement. Two patients had to discontinue dapsone because of side effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this group of 20 patients with moderate to severe mucous membrane pemphigoid, the use of dapsone in combination with topical corticosteroids caused greater than 75% resolution of oral lesions in all patients studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Ciarrocca
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003622:Dapsone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005447:Fluocinonide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D010390:Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D005447:Fluocinonide; D003622:Dapsone