Table 2

Reasons for self withdrawal

Patient No	Reason patient gave for withdrawal	Week withdrew	Reported side effect	LDR^2-154
10 (CG^2-154)	Did not return for appointment	8	None	Low
30 (CG)	DPA^2-154 made RA worse	4	None	^2-151
37 (CG)	Stopped taking DPA	8	Trace protein/loss of taste/nausea	Low
40 (CG)	Did not want to continue DPA	4	None	^2-150
45 (CG)	Did not want to continue DPA	4	None	^2-151
49 (CG)	Did not want to continue DPA	8	Alteration to taste	^2-151
58 (CG)	Did not want to continue DPA	20	None	^2-152
60 (CG)	Stopped taking DPA	2	None	NS
64 (CG)	No reason given	16	Indigestion (indocid)	^2-152
67 (EG^2-154)	Did not want to continue DPA	4	None	^2-150
73 (CG)	Did not want to continue DPA	16	Mild proteinuria/nasty taste	^2-152
85 (CG)	Stopped taking DPA	7	Diarrhoea	Low
87 (CG)	Wanted to stop taking DPA	8	Nausea/nasty taste/bloating	^2-151
97 (EG)	Side effects	4	Diarrhoea/headaches	NS

↵2-150 Left clinic without having blood taken.
↵2-151 Adherent while in the study.
NS no LDR sample.
↵2-152 Partially adherent while in the study.
↵2-154 CG = control group; EG = experimental group; DPA =d-penicillamine; LDR = the ratio of phenobarbitone level in the blood to the prescribed dose.