Gold therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.

During the period 1971-1979, 114 patients with rheumatoid arthritis attending the arthritis clinics at Groote Schuur Hospital and Princess Alice Orthopaedic Hospital were treated with gold sodium aurothiomalate (Myocrisin). Data obtained from 104 completed protocols showed that 70 patients (67,3%) benefited from chrysotherapy. Forty of these patients went into complete remission. Therapy was discontinued in 58 patients, side-effects accounting for this in 33 cases (31,8%). Adverse reactions included skin rashes in 41 (39%) and renal complications in 16 (14%); 7 (6%) developed haematological complications, which resulted in death in 2 cases. HLA tissue typing in 37 patients with side-effects showed no increase in the HLA Dw2 or HLA Dw3 antigen. There was, however, a significant increase in the HLA DRw4 antigen in both Whites and Coloureds (P less than or equal to 0,008 and P less than or equal to 0,001 respectively).