[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.