Sequential observations of in vitro responses of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin in patients receiving gold therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.

Forty-seven patients receiving gold therapy for rheumatoid arthritis were observed sequentially at 6-monthly intervals. When the disease was in remission, and remained so, the in vitro responses of lymphocytes to phylohemagglutinin stimulation tended to be normal. Improvement in the disease were associated with improvement in lymphocyte response and deterioration associated with depression of response. Our observations suggest that these changes are a reflection of disease activity and their relationship to gold therapy is indirect.