Colchicine for periodic peritonitis.

After 25 years of unsuccessful therapeutic trials, colchicine suppressed episodes of periodic peritonitis (recurrent polyserositis, familial Mediterranean fever) in most reported cases after 1972 and in 12 of 14 patients in this study. Dosage of 0.65 mg daily was continuous, but intermittent therapy timed in accordance with predicted episodes is under trial. Suppression of episodes by the drug serves as the only diagnostic test available.