To the Editor.

To the Editor.  —Having studied the relationship between gold toxicity and the pharmacokinetics of gold compounds^1,2 used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, I especially enjoyed the recent article by Deren et al in the Archives on gold-associated thrombocytopenia. Their report contributes to understanding the mechanisms and treatment of gold thrombocytopenia.It should be stressed that the incidence of gold-induced thrombocytopenia is exceedingly low, less than 1%,³ while another hematologic aberration, eosinophilia, occurs more commonly.⁴ In the past ten years, only one case of thrombocytopenia has been recognized among the many hundreds of rheumatoid arthritis patients I personally have treated with chrysotherapy. The findings in this case exemplify, in several respects, those reported by the authors. The following brief case report is written to emphasize two features of gold thrombocytopenia: (1) the association of thrombocytopenia with previous gold toxicity in the form of dermatitis and eosinophilia, and (2) the rapid and