Neurologic symptoms posing as dapsone-induced polyneuropathy in two patients with dermatitis herpetiformis

Abstract

The clinical picture of neuropathy caused by dapsone is usually progressive muscle weakness and wasting, most often involving distal muscles of the extremities. Two patients with neurologic symptoms following the use of dapsone for dermatitis herpetiformis are reported. Both patients had normal motor conduction velocities, and negative results on physical examination of muscle wasting. We conclude that their clinical presentation was not due to dapsone-induced neuropathy. A discussion and a review of cases of this unusual effect of dapsone are included.