RESEARCH - Pathologic acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular manifestations in RA, spondyloarthropathy and CPDD

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APLAR Journal of Rheumatology

Volume 10 Issue 3, Pages 204 - 208

Published Online: 23 Jul 2007

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Pathologic acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular manifestations in

rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathy and calcium phosphosphate

deposition disease

Bruce M. ROTHSCHILD 1 and ROBINSON 2

1 Arthritis Center of North-east Ohio, Youngstown, North-eastern

Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, OH, Carnegie Museum

of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA and University of Kansas Museum of

Natural History, Lawrence, KS, 2 , Cleveland Museum of

Natural History, Oval Circle, Cleveland, OH, USA

ABSTRACT

Aim: To assess if acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular joint

findings share specificity with those of peripheral joints for

distinguishing among the major forms of erosive arthritis.

Methods: The clavicles from skeletons of 392 individuals with

documented spondyloarthropathy, rheumatoid arthritis and calcium

pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPDD) were macroscopically examined

for erosion presence and character and for reactive new bone

formation.

Results: Examination of the bones of individuals with documented

rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathy and calcium pyrophosphate

deposition disease revealed specificity of acromioclavicular and

sternoclavicular joint alterations for the underlying arthritis.

Conclusions: Acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular erosions have

equivalent diagnostic specificity to that of peripheral joints,

facilitating diagnosis when erosions are not recognized in the latter.

Such joint involvement was so common in individuals with other

evidence of CPPD that its presence should suggest the likelihood of

that diagnosis.

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120092232/abstract

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