[Basic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with tiopronin. A study of 25 cases].

In the basic treatment of 25 cases of classic or ARA defined rheumatoid arthritis, Tiopronin (alpha-mercaptopropionylglycine) was used for one year. The results obtained showed its therapeutic efficacy, as proven by the remission or improvement in humoral indexes of phlogosis and the suspension or dose reduction of steroid drugs and/or FANS in a high percentage of treated patients (84%). Nephrotic syndrome (1:25) and ageusia (1:25) were the most important side effects. These are common to the other sulfhydryl drugs and probably connected with a particular genetic predisposition in rheumatoid patients.