ONE-YEAR COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF GOLD SODIUM THIOMALATE AND AURANOFIN IN THE TREATMENT OF RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 12  (1) , 60-67
Abstract
The therapeutic benefits and toxicity profile of auranofin (AF) were compared with that of gold sodium thiomalate (GSTM) over a 1-yr period in 120 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A similar number of patients on both drugs remained in the study at 1 yr (.apprx. 60%), and showed similar statistically significant improvement (P < 0.01) in all clinical variables measured. At no time during the study was there a statistically significant difference in the clinical benefit obtained with either drug. Withdrawal from the study through lack of therapeutic benefit was twice as frequent with AF as with GSTM (11 compared to 6). Withdrawal due to a toxic reaction was twice as frequent and were potentially more serious with GSTM than with AF (15 compared to 9). AF has a therapeutic potential similar to that of GSTM, however, side effects were less prevalent and, when they did cause withdrawal of the drug, were potentially less serious.