GOLD THERAPY IN EARLY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Abstract

The results obtained in the treatment of 106 patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated during the 1st yr. of their illness by chrysotherapy are compared with those obtained in a control group of 83 patients who were treated by conventional methods without Au. All patients were under observation for a min. period of 1 yr. after the optimum therapeutic effect was deemed to have been obtained. All were under observation for a total period ranging from 18 mos. to 12 yrs. Remissions were present in 66% of the Au-treated patients 1 yr. after institution of chrysotherapy; in only 24.1% of the control group. On the avg., remissions were noted 10 mos. sooner in the Au-treated cases than in the controls (7.1 mos. versus 17.1 mos.). The incidence of remissions which are classified as complete and are in accordance with the "Therapeutic Criteria" of the American Rheumatism Assoc. was 44.8% in the Au group, vs. 27.7% in the controls. The relapse rate was 26.1% for the Au-treated remissions; 33.3% for the control remissions. There were no fatalities among the Au-treated cases and most of the toxic reactions were of a mild nature.