[Comparative analysis of the effectiveness and tolerance of chrysanol and myochrysine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (preliminary report)].

Fifty patients with a significant rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were treated with gold salts for 6 months to 4 years. Patients with highly active conditions (stages II-III) and with erosive arthritis (stages IIb-IV) prevailed. Extraarticular manifestations were recognized in 76% of the patients. The efficacy of chrisanol given in a dose of 1.5 ml of a 5% solution was compared to that of myocrisin in a dose of 50 mg, i. e. 25 mg metallic gold once a week. The efficacy of the drugs was evaluated from their effects on the disease activity (clinical manifestations of the articular syndrome, ESR, morphological signs of rheumatoid synovitis) and progression (the rate of the development of erosive arthritis in hand and foot joints, the time course of serum RF content, and systemic disease manifestations). These characteristics were examined with the aid of modern ultrasonic and radionuclide research methods. The evaluations were made by the treatment onset and by months 3, 6, 12 and 18 of the treatment. Analysis of the data obtained attests to a high clinical efficacy of both the drugs exhibiting basic activity which is confirmed by a decrease in the degree of the morphological manifestations of synovitis and extraarticular signs of RA, particularly of myocarditis. A method for following up outpatients to prevent grave complications of chrysotherapy is offered.