title: Autoantibodies in D-penicillamine treated rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The D-penicillamine (D-Pen.) treatment can induce some diseases accompanied by autoantibodies: lupus, pemphigus, myasthenia. The authors present the results of a systematic study of autoantibody occurrence during D-Pen.-treatment of the rheumatoid arthritis (RA): (1) Anti-nuclear antibodies are slightly positive in 34% of the untreated RA. They appear or enhance in 44% of the treated patients (22/50). They reach high titers (1/500) in two clinical-induced lupus and in three asymptomatic cases. (2) Anti-native DNA antibodies are not found in untreated patients. They become markedly enhanced in two clinical lupus as in three asymptomatic cases (3/50). (3) Anti-epidermal intercellular substance-antibodies are absent in non-treated as well as on pemphigus-free treated patients (0/40). They are slightly elevated in 5 induced pemphigus. (4) Anti-striated muscle antibodies are absent in non-treated patients, rarely and moderately elevated (3/40) in the asymptomatic D-Pen.-treated group. These findings could have a practical interest for the survey of the treatment.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008177:Lupus Vulgaris / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000139:chemically induced; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D004247:DNA; D010396:Penicillamine