An assessment of penicillamine therapy in rheumatoid arthritis and the influence of previous gold therapy.

One hundred and fourteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had received treatment with penicillamine are reviewed. Side effects occurred in 50 patients. Sixty patients were considered to be improved with the drug. Low and high maintenance regimes were compared. There was no significant difference in the incidence of side effects or clinical improvement. Previous gold therapy did not influence the therapeutic response or total incidence of side effects observed with penicillamine. Rashes were, however, more common if patients had previously had treatment with gold.