AZATHIOPRINE AS SINGLE DRUG IN THE TREATMENT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS INDUCES COMPLETE SUPPRESION OF NATURAL KILLER CELL ACTIVITY

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Abstract
Natural killer (NK) activity aginst K 562 target cells was studied in 60 patients with definite or classic rheumatoid arthritis (RA), grouped by medication into controls not in remission-inducing therapy. Patients treated with penicillamine and patients treated with azathioprine. NK activity was found to be completely suppressed in the azathioprine group as compared with the controls (3.2 .+-. 4.2% vs. 35.9 .+-. 14.8% specific lysis; P < 0.01) except for 1 patient who received incomplete azathioprine treatment. The NK activity was not suppressed in the penicillamine group.