NO EFFECT OF INTRAMUSCULAR GOLD THERAPY ON SEROLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS - A 12-MONTH PROSPECTIVE-STUDY

Objectives-To assess prospectively the influence of intramuscular gold therapy on Helicobacter pylori serology in patients with rheumatoid a rthritis (RA). Methods-Fifty patients with RA were started on intramus cular gold or chloroquine, as the control group and were followed sero logically for H pylori infection for 12 months. Results-Twelve patient s treated with gold and eight control patients treated with chloroquin e, all with serological evidence for H pylori infection, showed no sig nificant decline of IgA and IgG anti-H pylori antibody levels or serum pepsinogen A and C revels. Total serum IgA and IgG levels declined si gnificantly during gold therapy, while they remained unchanged during chloroquine therapy. Conclusions-Instramuscular gold therapy in patien ts with RA does not influence the serological parameters of H pylori i nfection.