Vasilia Cristina Iorgoveanu, Raluca Ionescu, Laura Groseanu and Ruxandra Ionescu

ABSTRACT

Introduction. Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) is a rare, hereditary disease characterized by clubbing and new bone formation in the periosteal region that may be associated with joint pain, cutaneous abnormalities, seborrhea or hyperhydrosis. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is one of the most frequent chronic diseases with childhood onset, patients develop inflammatory joint pain and extra-articular manifestations with imunologic substrate. The association of the two diseases is very rare. 24 years old patient related disease onset at the age of 14 with arthritis of proximal interphalangeal joints (PIP), knees and right ankle. He is diagnosed with oligoarticular form of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. He receives Methotrexate, Suphasalazyne and association of the two, but after 5 years biological therapy with Etanercept is started. Later on, repeated physical examination revealed digital clubbing, non-painful enlargment of hands and feet with sweaty teguments. Radiological examination with subperiosteal new bone formation of the distal tibia, the fibula, the radius, the ulna, the metacarpals and the phalanges confirms the suspicion of HOA – pachydermoperiostosis (PDP).
Conclusion. Final diagnosis considers both entities. The incomplete form of PDP included hands and feet enlargement with extensive periostitis, palmoplantar hyperhydrosis, but no significant facial changes. The specific treatment for JIA did not influence the evolution of PDP.

Keywords: pachydermoperiostosis, hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, biological therapy

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