Effect of parenterally administered gold therapy on the course of adult rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the course of rheumatoid arthritis over 5 years in adults and to evaluate the effect of parenterally administered gold salts on that course.


METHODS
A prospective observational study of adults with rheumatoid arthritis. Data derived from annual interviews with patients from 1983 to 1988 and from physician surveys in 1983 and 1987.


METHODS
Rheumatology practices in the community.


METHODS
The study began in 1982 with 822 adults who had rheumatoid arthritis and were under the care of rheumatologists.


METHODS
Those selected by rheumatologists in the management of their patients.


METHODS
Information describing sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, course, and therapy was collected from patients and verified by physician reports. Functional status, measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire, and the number of painful joints were used as outcome variables. Outcome variables were adjusted for age, sex, disease duration, baseline values of the outcome variable, and the use of four disease-remittive agents other than gold.


RESULTS
Multivariate repeated-measures analysis of variance showed no change in the course of rheumatoid arthritis over 5 years. The use of parenteral gold for at least 2 consecutive years at the start of the observation period produced, on average, no change in the course over 5 years in the two outcome variables.


CONCLUSIONS
In our study of a community-based population of adults with rheumatoid arthritis who were under the care of community rheumatologists, we found that there was, on average, no statistically significant change in function or number of painful joints between 1983 and 1988. Patients receiving parenteral gold therapy for at least 2 consecutive years did not show a statistically significant difference in outcome when compared with those not receiving such therapy.
Epstein
W V
WV
Rosalind Russell Arthritis Center, University of California, San Francisco.
Henke
C J
CJ
Yelin
E H
EH
Katz
P P
PP
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007596:Joints / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D050607:Organogold Compounds; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D050607:Organogold Compounds