This medication is useful in severe systemic lupus erythematosus particularly with significant lupus nephritis. There is the potential of developing malignancies secondarily with long-term use of this medication. In SLE it is mainly given initially on a monthly basis intravenously for severe disease and then the patient may be converted to an oral form of treatment. Hair growth, kidney dysfunction, increase in the blood pressure, changes in the gums with actual enlargement of the gums or inflammation of the gums Difficult medication to use because it has to be monitored closely regarding any changes in the serum creatinine. It has been used, however, successfully to control rheumatoid arthritis either alone or even in combination with methotrexate, but the patient needs to be under extremely close supervision.
Patients needs to be monitored regarding any liver toxicity as well.
This drug has been used for many years in prevention of rejection of transplanted organs and has helped increase the number of successful transplants. Gold was the standard treatment for many years in rheumatoid arthritis. This has been supplanted by the use of methotrexate. The major concerns with using gold are the development of kidney disease and a drop in any of the important blood cells including the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The side-effects in the eyes are rare in patients who are taking 400 mg per day or less of this medication, but rheumatologists recommend that patients be monitored by an ophthalmologist at baseline prior to starting this medication and then every six months to make sure that no early changes are occurring.