LICHENOID DERMATITIS AFTER CONSUMPTION OF GOLD-CONTAINING LIQUOR

Medicinal gold has a well-known side effect profile that includes muco cutaneous eruptions. We describe three patients with a pruritic dermat itis that began after consumption of a gold-containing alcoholic bever age. Blood and urine gold levels, chemistry panels, hepatitis screens, skin biopsies, and patch tests were performed. The gold-containing li quor was analyzed for the presence and quantity of gold. The liquor co nsumed by all of the patients was a cinnamon schnapps with free-floati ng gold-colored flakes. Gold is present in the liquid portion of this liquor and in the solid flakes. Elevated levels of gold in the urine a nd blood were present in one patient 3 months after last drinking this beverage. Another patient had a positive patch test to gold sodium th iosulfate. All patients experienced improvement of their dermatitis af ter they stopped drinking the gold-containing liquor.