DERMATITIS HERPETIFORMIS Treatment

Dermatitis herpetiformis is not a very common disease but it is mentioned because its response to treatment is interesting. The lesions cause a great deal of irritation and this is a source of misery to the patient. It has been known for many years that inorganic arsenic given by mouth would suppress the eruption. As arsenic is potentially poisonous, it was gratifying to find that one of the earliest sulphonamides, sulphapyridine, is often effective. The dose required is small (0.5 to 1.0 g. daily). The drug is suppressive only; its administration has to be continued while the disease remains active and this is usually for some years. The sulphone, dapsone, also works well and is now regarded as the drug of choice; it is given in a dose of 50 to 150 mg. daily. This drug, however, is not free from toxic effects : it may cause anasmia with Heinz body formation in the red cells.