Penicillamine therapy in rheumatoid arthritis

During the period 1976-1983, 67 patients with rheumatoid arthritis attending the arthritis clinics at Groote Schuur Hospital and Princess Alice Orthopaedic Hospital, Cape Town, were treated with penicillamine. The information obtained from a retrospective study showed that 47 patients (70,15%) gained some benefit from the therapy, and that 28 (41,79%) went into complete remission; 36 (53,73%) developed side-effects which resulted in termination of therapy in 24 (35,82%). Urinary abnormalities were the commonest side-effect (28,36%), the relatively infrequently described haematuria being the most frequent. Seven patients failed to respond to therapy.