Gold Salts in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

A 2-year double-blind study was made of gold salt treatment in 27 patients who had active rheumatoid arthritis for less than 5 years. The gold salt (gold sodium thiomalate) was well tolerated in 13 of 15 patients. Improvement, measured by physical examination, ring sizes, and grip strength, was significant in the treated group. Radiologic examination showed that the bone and cartilage destruction was arrested in several patients, and the mean progression rate of destruction was significantly slowed for the treated group.