One-year comparative study of gold sodium thiomalate and auranofin in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

The therapeutic benefits and toxicity profile of auranofin (AF) have been compared with that of gold sodium thiomalate (GSTM) over a one-year period in 120 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A similar number of patients on both drugs remained in the study at one year (approximately 60%), and showed similar statistically significant improvement (p less than 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). We conclude that 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.