Pulmonary damage associated with sodium aurothiomalate therapy

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Pulmonology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease.
• Sodium aurothiomalate is a gold salt used in RA treatment.
• Gold toxicity is a known complication of RA therapy.

Observation:

• Three RA patients experienced acute respiratory distress.
• Pulmonary infiltration was noted in affected patients.
• Symptoms arose during sodium aurothiomalate treatment.

Findings:

• A temporal link between gold therapy initiation and respiratory symptoms was observed.
• One patient showed symptom exacerbation after additional gold injection.
• Symptom resolution occurred upon gold withdrawal.
• Two patients exhibited other signs of gold toxicity.

Implications:

• The findings suggest gold-induced pulmonary disease is a significant adverse effect.
• Prompt diagnosis and cessation of gold therapy are crucial for patient outcomes.
• This highlights the need for vigilance regarding pulmonary complications in patients on gold salts.