title: [Sodium gold thiosulfate therapy: an open, viewed, multicenter trial in rheumatoid arthritis patients followed for two years].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate if parenteral gold-therapy with Sodium gold thiosulfate is effective and safe for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis we began an open, multicenter trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  126 rheumatoid arthritis patients were treated with Sodium gold thiosulfate for two years. Efficacy, quality of life, progression of joint damage, inflammatory parameters and side effects were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gold salts reduced joint inflammation and improved subjective and objective symptoms, quality of life and activity of illness within 6 months. Side effects appeared in 13,8% of all cases and regressed, promptly, when gold therapy stopped. The poor efficacy caused the interruption and the change from the gold therapy to others disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMRDs) in 17,8 % of the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The follow-up showed Sodium gold thiosulfate was effective in Rheumatoid Arthritis and the survival in therapy was of 77,8% to one year and of 68,4% to two years.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Reumatologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Università degli Studi di Pisa.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ciompi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amoresano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balzarini
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bazzichi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Broggini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buratti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Calcagnile
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciocci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fichera
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fumagalli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muratore
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nitti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Peruz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romagnoni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D012971:Gold Sodium Thiosulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012449:Safety; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D012971:Gold Sodium Thiosulfate