HLA antigens and adverse drug reactions to sodium aurothiomalate and D-penicillamine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The association between HLA antigens and adverse drug reactions (ADR), (e.g. proteinuria, haematological abnormalities, stomatitis, diarrhoea and dermatitis) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to sodium aurothiomalate (gold) and to D-penicillamine (PA) were studied in 32 patients. Thirty-eight RA patients treated with gold and PA, and with no ADR to these drugs, were used as controls. The frequency of HLA B8 was significantly (p less than 0.05) increased among RA patients with ADR compared to plasma donors. DR3 was also significantly increased (p less than 0.05) in RA patients with haematological ADR compared to plasma donors. Haematological ADR occurred significantly (p less than 0.05) more often in DR3 positive patients (55%) than among DR3 negative RA patients (27%).