The British Journal of Rheumatology, Vol 36, 1054-1058, Copyright © 1997 by British Society for Rheumatology
EH Choy, L Gambling, SL Best, RE Jenkins, E Kondeatis, R Vaughan, MM Black, PJ Sadler and GS Panayi
Intramuscular chrysotherapy is a well-established treatment for rheumatoid
arthritis. Its therapeutic use has been limited by the high incidence of
dermatological side-effects. The pathogenic mechanisms of these are
unknown, but could include allergic reactions to gold or to nickel
contaminating the gold. In order to investigate these mechanisms further,
15 patients, who developed cutaneous eruptions after chrysotherapy, were
assessed using skin biopsy and lymphocyte transformation stimulated by gold
and nickel salts in vitro. Chrysotherapy induced two main cutaneous
eruptions: lichenoid reactions and non-specific dermatitis. Peripheral
blood mononuclear cells from patients with lichenoid reaction proliferated
to gold salts in vitro, while those who developed non-specific dermatitis
responded mainly to nickel. Nickel was a significant contaminant of the
gold preparation (sodium aurothiomalate, Myocrisin, Rhone-Poulenc Ltd),
amounting to a total of 650 ng after 6 months treatment. We suggest that a
significant percentage of skin reactions during chrysotherapy are due to
nickel contamination of the gold preparation.
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Nickel contamination of gold salts: link with gold-induced skin rash
Rheumatology Unit, United Medical School, Guy's Hospital, London.
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