Effect of Gold Sodium Thiomalate for Rheumatoid arthritis

Kim, Byung Jik; Seo, Jeong Gook; Choo, Suk Kyu; Suh, Jin Soo

Abstract

Gold Sodium Thiomalate (Myochrysine) used for rheumatoid arthritis has been known that it can cause the long term remission by its antimicrobial action, cell metabolism, complement activation and by activating the cell related to immunologic response. Accordingly the effect and side effect of gold theraphy has long been an object of concern. Authors clinically analyzed cases of 49 rheumatoid arthritis patients who were treated with gold and the mean duration of follow-up was 2.7 years. 50mg of Gold Sodium Thiomalate was injected intramuscularly in accordance with weekly based check up of symptom improvement & side effect. The interval of injection was prolonged and maintained to 4 weeks or 6 weeks when the total amount of injected gold was reached to 1gm or 1.2gm. The over-all symptom remission was forty (82%) and twenty five (51%) showed symptom remission and its maintenance. In symptom remission group, the change of laboratory findings was the reduction of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) from 59.7 to 32.3. As for side effects, dermatitis found in 16 cases was the most common and stomatitis found in 8 cases. There were others such as irritation symptom of gastrointestinal system & nephritis and 7 cases where the injection was stopped because of side effects was found out. Considering the above results, Gold Sodium Thiomalate is regarded as one of the effective methods for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis when it is used electively paying heed to side effect.