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.
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.
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.
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.