Aurothioglucose in rheumatoid arthritis. Outcome of treatment in patients intolerant of sodium aurothiomalate.

Forty-three patients in whom treatment with sodium aurothiomalate was discontinued because of adverse reactions that either were relatively severe or recurred on rechallenge received treatment with aurothioglucose in oily base. Thirty-six of them had rheumatoid arthritis, four had psoriatic arthritis and three had juvenile chronic arthritis. Aurothioglucose therapy was introduced cautiously and increased gradually to a maintenance regimen, usually 5-20 mg/week, administered by intramuscular injection. The clinical response was good in 25 patients (60%), 14 of whom continued to receive aurothioglucose therapy on a long-term basis. Adverse reactions to aurothioglucose developed in 17 patients (40%); these were generally mild, and, in all but four patients, were of the same type as those induced by sodium aurothiomalate therapy. Results show that aurothioglucose in oily base may be successfully administered in a low-dose regimen to selected patients who are intolerant of sodium aurothiomalate.