Yellow nail syndrome associated with penicillamine therapy

A patient is described in whom the nail changes of the yellow nail syndrome developed whilst she was taking penicillamine. Stopping the drug was associated with resolution of the nail changes. The yellow nail syndrome was first described in 1964 (Samman and White), but the cause is still unknown. Impaired lymphatic drainage is thought to be a factor in the pathogenesis, and lymphoedema is often an accompanying feature. We describe a case in which nail changes, typical of those described in the yellow nail syndrome, occurred in a patient treated with d-penicillamine, and in whom the nails reverted to normal on withdrawing the drug. (Received March 15, 1983.)