Induction of anticentromere antibody in patients receiving treatment with D-penicillamine.

Anticentromere antibody (ACA) was previously described as a specific marker for CREST, progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS), scleroderma (SCL), Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). In this present investigation ACA was observed appearing and disappearing due to D-penicillamine (DPA) treatment in 7 patients without any features of CREST, PSS, SCL, RP or PBC. HLA-DR3 was found in 5/7 of these patients. DPA induced ACA should be added to adverse immunologic drug reactions.