The in vivo effect of triethylphosphine gold (auranofin), sodium aurothiomalate and azathioprine on lymphocyte subsets of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

The percentages of CD5 + (pan T), CD8 + (mainly T suppressor) and CD4 + (mainly T helper) cells were studied in 80 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), grouped according to medication into four groups: 1) controls, not receiving remission‐inducing therapy, 2) patients on oral gold (triethylphosphine gold, auranofin), 3) patients on parenteral gold (sodium aurothiomalate) and 4) patients on azathioprine. The total number of lymphocytes was not influenced by treatment with auranofin or sodium aurothiomalate, while the number of lymphocytes was depressed in the azathioprine‐treated group (P < 0.01). Neither treatment with azathioprine or parenteral gold, nor treatment with azathioprine influenced the CD4 +/CD8 + ratio.