[Sodium gold thiosulfate therapy: an open, viewed, multicenter trial in rheumatoid arthritis patients followed for two years].
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.
Ciompi
M L
ML
Cattedra di Reumatologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Università degli Studi di Pisa.
Amoresano
C
C
Balzarini
P
P
Bazzichi
L M
LM
Broggini
M
M
Buratti
L
L
Calcagnile
F
F
Ciocci
A
A
Ferri
S
S
Fichera
C
C
Fumagalli
M
M
Muratore
M
M
Nitti
F
F
Peruz
G
G
Romagnoni
G
G
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
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D012971:Gold Sodium Thiosulfate