Distribution of gold among plasma fractions in rheumatoid patients undergoing chrysotherapy compared with its distribution in plasma incubated with aurothiomalate in vitro.

The distribution of gold among the globulin, albumin, and unbound fractions of plasma, obtained either from rheumatoid patients receiving long-term aurothiomalate therapy or from samples incubated with aurothiomalate in vitro, has been investigated. In the rheumatoid patients it has been found that, although the majority of the plasma gold is always bound to albumin, the distribution varies cyclically in phase with the dose schedule. An explanation of these phenomena is provided, based on data obtained from the reaction between aurothiomalate and plasma constituents in vitro.