Gold-induced bone marrow aplasia: successful treatment with antithymocyte globulin

A patient receiving gold treatment for rheumatoid arthritis developed sudden severe pancytopenia secondary to bone marrow aplasia. She required extensive hematological support but was unsuitable for bone marrow transplantation. Although early use of large doses of a chelating agent did not change the hematological parameters, subsequent use of antithymocyte globulin has been associated with substantial hematological improvement.