[Cutaneous side effects induced by D-penicillamine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis]. / Gli effetti collaterali cutanei indotti dalla D-penicillamina nel trattamento della artrite reumatoide.

After considering the cutaneous side effects of D-penicillamine in rheumatoid arthritis management, a few cases of cutaneous adverse reaction observed in 5 (13%) of 38 patients, who received the drugs, are described. Two patients had an early rash; one showed a late rash; one had a late rash with symptoms of initial pemphigus and drug-induced LES (presence of antinuclear and anti-dsDNA antibodies). Finally, one patient showed a drug-induced pemphigus with high titre of reticular anti-skin antibodies. All these manifestations required definitive discontinuance of the drug.