Drug stomatitis due to gold therapy

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Rheumatology
• Oral Medicine

Background:

• Chrysotherapy, using gold salts, has been a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
• Oral mucosal side effects can occur during gold therapy.
• Understanding these reactions is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively analyze oral eruptions in patients undergoing chrysotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis.
• To identify the common clinical and histological features of these oral reactions.
• To determine the resolution patterns of chrysotherapy-induced oral eruptions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 18 patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with chrysotherapy.
• Clinical examination of oral mucosal changes.
• Histologic examination of affected tissues.
• Documentation of eruption characteristics and resolution.

Main Results:

• Common findings included nonspecific ulcerations, lichenoid eruptions, lingual papillae atrophy, and erythema.
• Histopathology generally supported clinical diagnoses.
• All observed oral eruptions resolved spontaneously or upon discontinuation of chrysotherapy.

Conclusions:

• Oral eruptions are a notable adverse effect of chrysotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
• The identified mucosal changes are characteristic of gold-induced reactions.
• Complete resolution of these eruptions is expected following treatment cessation or spontaneously.