[A chemically induced polyneuropathy in chronic polyarthritis treated with D-penicillamine?]

Polyneuropathy occurring during therapy with D-penicillamine is reported in a 63 year-old women with chronic rheumatoid arthritis. 6 weeks after recommending therapy with 500 mg D-penicillamine/day the patient developed bilateral oculomotor palsy and axonal peripheral neuropathy. The development of clinical symptoms was accompanied by the observation of high levels of antinuclear antibodies and antibodies against native DNA. The appearance of polyneuropathy after repeated administration of penicillamine, the regression of symptoms and the rapid decrease in antinuclear antibodies after discontinuation of the drug plus the absence of signs of a malignant form of rheumatoid arthritis show a remarkable correlation.