RESPONSE OF SOLUBLE IL-2 RECEPTOR LEVELS DURING GOLD THERAPY FOR RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

Soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL2R) levels were measured at week 0 and week 24 in the sera of 27 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis who had taken part in a chrysotherapy study. At entry (wk 0) although sIL2R levels were significantly elevated in the rheumatoid patients there was no significant correlation with a clinical disease activity score, C reactive protein (CRP) or rheumatoid factor (RF). After 24 weeks of chrysotherapy there was no significant change in sIL2R levels although the clinical activity score, CRP and RF were significantly reduced. However, measurement of sIL2R in 7 patients who had obtained clinical remission followiag 38 - 73 months of gold treatment showed significantly lower levels of sIL2R than patients with continuing active disease.