Penicillamine and other remittive agents in rheumatoid arthritis: comparisons and interaction.

Penicillamine treatment of rheumatoid arthritis was compared with gold and other remittive agents by reviewing the literature and studying the patients in our penicillamine clinic with respect to their previous responses to chrysotherapy. Penicillamine compares well with other remittive agents with respect to efficacy and toxicity. Prior chrysotherapy does not determine or predict the subsequent efficacy of penicillamine . Patients who reacted adversely to gold tended to react adversely to penicillamine; proteinuria and rash tended to recur.