Periodic peritonitis. Present management and future prospects.

Thirty-three patients with periodic peritonitis were treated with colchicine for 863 patient-months of observation (average, 27 months). There is a personal optimum dose, and the daily requirement varies at 1 or 1.5 mg. All patients responded to treatment. Episodes were precipitated in all patients who stopped their medications. No side effects were noticed. Four normal full-term infants were born to patients taking colchicine during the study.