Skip Navigation


Rheumatology Advance Access originally published online on January 10, 2006
Rheumatology 2006 45(6):730-733; doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kei221
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
45/6/730    most recent
kei221v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (21)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Massara, A.
Right arrow Articles by Trotta, F.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Massara, A.
Right arrow Articles by Trotta, F.
Related Collections
Right arrow Spondylarthropathies
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

In SAPHO syndrome anti-TNF-{alpha} therapy may induce persistent amelioration of osteoarticular complaints, but may exacerbate cutaneous manifestations

A. Massara, P. L. Cavazzini1 and F. Trotta

Sezione di Reumatologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale and 1 Sezione di Anatomia, Istologia e Citologia Patologica, Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Diagnostica, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.

Correspondence to: A. Massara, Sezione di Reumatologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, 44100 Ferrara, Italy. E-mail: alfmass{at}yahoo.it

Objectives. SAPHO syndrome (synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis and osteitis) is a rare disease combining skin, bone and joint manifestations. In recent years new therapeutic strategies have been tried, among them TNF-{alpha}-blocking agents. We report our experience with infliximab in four cases of SAPHO syndrome refractory to conventional therapies.

Methods. Between 2002 and 2005, four cases of SAPHO syndrome (two females and two males; mean age 49.7 yr) responding poorly to conventional drugs were treated with infliximab. The dose was 5 mg/kg, according to the protocol used in spondyloarthropathies, with infusions at 0, 2 and 6 weeks followed by 6 weeks intervals. No active cutaneous manifestations were present at the time of starting therapy.

Results. Complete remission of osteoarticular involvement was achieved after the second or third infusion, and the positive response was maintained for up to 12 months. A patient relapsed after discontinuation of infliximab, because of infectious complication. Palmoplantaris pustulosis relapsed in two patients after three and six infusions, respectively; there was slight improvement after discontinuation of anti-TNF-{alpha} drugs.

Conclusions. Infliximab seems to be a very effective therapy for osteoarticular complaints of SAPHO syndrome. Cutaneous involvement responded less favourably, palmoplantaris pustulosis relapse being a possible complication.

KEY WORDS: SAPHO syndrome, Anti-TNF-{alpha} agents, Infliximab, Palmoplantaris pustulosis


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 BMJ Case ReportsHome page
J. Fruehauf, B. Cierny-Modre, L. E.-S. Caelen, T. Schwarz, R. Weinke, and E. Aberer
Response to infliximab in SAPHO syndrome
BMJ Case Reports, May 20, 2009; 2009(may19_1): bcr1020081145 - bcr1020081145.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

Home page
 Rheumatology (Oxford)Home page
M. Hurtado-Nedelec, S. Chollet-Martin, P. Nicaise-Roland, S. Grootenboer-Mignot, R. Ruimy, O. Meyer, and G. Hayem
Characterization of the immune response in the synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome
Rheumatology, August 1, 2008; 47(8): 1160 - 1167.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.