GOUT MASQUERADING AS RHEUMATOID VASCULITIS

A 30-year-old Mexican woman had rash, deep ulcerations of her lower ex tremities, and debilitating polyarthritis. Her disorder simulated rheu matoid vasculitis, but serum rheumatoid factor was absent. The diagnos is of gout was confirmed by uric acid crystals in joint fluid and skin biopsy specimens and by x-ray crystallography, The age and sex were u nusual for a patient with gout, and she had none of the commonly assoc iated metabolic defects. This unique presentation for urate arthropath y needs further study.