An open, multicentre, randomized clinical study in patients with bullous pemphigoid comparing methylprednisolone and azathioprine with methylprednisolone and dapsone.

Due to the lower than intended number of patients, the results of the primary and secondary end points were not or only barely significant. Dapsone appeared to have a moderately higher corticosteroid-sparing potential than azathioprine. The combination regimen of either drug with oral methylprednisolone is associated with a relatively low 1-year mortality in this vulnerable patient population.