[Surveys of the epidemiological team of the French Rheumatology Society (RESFR) on the prescription of D-penicillamine in the treatment of rheumatoid polyarthritis].

: Two surveys carried out by the Epidemiology Team of the French Rheumatology Society (RESFR) were used to assess the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by means of D-penicillamine (DP). In the initial survey, which is described in this article, 119 rheumatologists throughout France were asked to give their opinion as to the place of DP: they use this drug in cases of severe RA, usually after gold salts and synthetic antimalarials have proved ineffective. The dosage is generally 600 mg per day, with a maximum dosage of 900 mg per day. The rheumatologists consider DP an effective treatment with good or fair clinical safety. The most frequent adverse reactions are proteinuria and skin eruptions.