Dapsone-induced aplastic anemia in a woman with bullous systemic lupus erythematosus

Aplastic anemia developed in a black woman who was receiving dapsone therapy for bullous systemic lupus erythematosus. Aplastic anemia is an uncommon adverse hematologic effect in patients treated with dapsone, the pathogenesis of which remains unknown. To our knowledge, dapsone-induced aplastic anemia has been previously reported in only four patients; the characteristics of their cases are described herein. Conservative monitoring of hematologic variables may alert clinicians to the early stages of this rare drug reaction.