Postinjection nonvasomotor reactions during chrysotherapy. Constitutional and rheumatic symptoms following injections of gold salts.

During gold sodium thiomalate (GST) therapy, 15% of 100 unselected patients described recurring postinjection reactions (PIRs), consisting of transient stiffness, arthralgias, myalgias, and constitutional symptoms. Six patients with more severe reactions requested discontinuation of chrysotherapy and for these, gold thioglucose (GTG) substitution abolished or amelioriated the reactions. The major significance of the PIR is that it may be a frequent cause of unwarranted premature abandonment of chrysotherapy.