SUSTAINED DAPSONE-INDUCED REMISSION OF HYPOCOMPLEMENTEMIC URTICARIAL VASCULITIS - A CASE-REPORT

Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis (HUV) is often misdiagnosed. The response to drug therapy may be unsatisfactory, and immunosuppress ive therapy may be associated with significant side effects. A 35-year -old patient whose condition was resistant to cyclophosphamide, cortic osteroids, pentoxyphylline, cyproheptadine, sulindac, and colchicine w as maintained in remission with dapsone, which may be the drug of choi ce for HUV. Emphysema has been reported to complicate HUV, but this is the first account of vasculitis-related emphysema with no confounding history of tobacco smoke exposure. The relationship of proteolytic in jury to the pulmonary and other manifestations is considered, as is th e possible role for dapsone in reducing it.