Autoantibodies in D-penicillamine treated rheumatoid arthritis.

The D-penicillamine (D-Pen.) treatment can induce some diseases accompanied by autoantibodies: lupus, pemphigus, myasthenia. The authors present the results of a systematic study of autoantibody occurrence during D-Pen.-treatment of the rheumatoid arthritis (RA): (1) Anti-nuclear antibodies are slightly positive in 34% of the untreated RA. They appear or enhance in 44% of the treated patients (22/50). They reach high titers (1/500) in two clinical-induced lupus and in three asymptomatic cases. (2) Anti-native DNA antibodies are not found in untreated patients. They become markedly enhanced in two clinical lupus as in three asymptomatic cases (3/50). (3) Anti-epidermal intercellular substance-antibodies are absent in non-treated as well as on pemphigus-free treated patients (0/40). They are slightly elevated in 5 induced pemphigus. (4) Anti-striated muscle antibodies are absent in non-treated patients, rarely and moderately elevated (3/40) in the asymptomatic D-Pen.-treated group. These findings could have a practical interest for the survey of the treatment.