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. 1977;70(Suppl 3):82–88. doi: 10.1177/00359157770700S327

Penicillamine therapy in systemic sclerosis.

M I Jayson 1, C Lovell 1, C M Black 1, R S Wilson 1
PMCID: PMC1543570  PMID: 122683

Abstract

Twenty-two patients with progressive systemic sclerosis were treated with D-penicillamine in doses ranging up to 1250 mg/day for periods varying between a few months and four years. Side-effects occurred in 7 patients, necessitating drug withdrawal in 2. Cutaneous benefit occurred in 15 patients, but owing to side-effects from the drug, relapses, and development, persistence or advancement of visceral complications, an overall good result only occurred in 5. Seven patients showed improvements in joint function, but only 3 were regarded as having an overall good result. Peripheral vascular disease and visceral involvement seemed not to be influenced by D-penicillamine and sometimes appeared or advanced during treatment. Six patients died from visceral manifestations of systemic sclerosis and one from another cause. D-penicillamine is of limited value for the cutaneous features of progressive systemic sclerosis, but probably of no value for the vascular and visceral manifestations of the disease.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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