[Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with zinc sulfate. Results of a doubl-blind trial].

At the end of a double blind clinical test carried out in 35 patients with classical rheumatoid arthritis, or progressive and with certain diagnosis, it does not appear that zinc sulphate given by mouth at dose of 600 mg/24 hours (divided up into 3 doses) may be a valid basic treatment. In fact, none of the classical clinical criteria (Richtie index, Lee index, etc.) nor laboratory criteria (E.S.R.) show any statistically significant change after 4 and 8 months. The discrepancy between these results and those previously published in discussed.