DOES INJECTABLE GOLD RETARD RADIOLOGIC EVIDENCE OF JOINT DAMAGE IN PSORIATIC-ARTHRITIS

The aim of this investigation has been to assess whether gold therapy prevents radiologic progression of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) over a pe riod of 2 y. Eighteen patients (11 males, 7 females, mean age 42 y, DD 6.5 y) who were initiated on intramuscular gold during their attendan ce at the Psoriatic Arthritis Clinic were studied. For each gold-treat ed patient, 2 matched control patients, who had never had gold therapy , were identified from the PsA database. The control patients were sim ilar to the patient population in gender, age, disease duration, numbe r of actively inflamed joints, radiologic score and other medications used, and were followed in the clinic for at least 24 months. Actively -inflamed joint count decreased by greater than or equal to 40% in 9 o f 18 gold-treated patients at 12 months. Seven patients continued gold for 24 months, while 11 discontinued gold for either lack of efficacy (4) or side effects (7). A comparison of the change in radiographic e vidence of damage in the peripheral joints between the 18 gold-treated patients and the 36 controls revealed that there was no statistical d ifference in disease progression. These results suggest that gold ther apy does not prevent the progression of damage in patients with psoria tic arthritis.