SAPHO SYNDROME OR PSORIATIC-ARTHRITIS - A COMPLICATED DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS - REPORT OF 3 CASES

SAPHO syndrome is characterized by osteoarticular involvement of ventr al:chest wall in the form of sternocostoclavicular osteoarthritis and hyperostosis and Skin changes such as palmoplantar pustulosis and acne . Ocassionally, psoriatic lesions and sacroileitis are observed. Howev er, despite the higher frequency of psoriasis in;this Syndrome, its in clusion in psoriatic arthropathy spectrum is hot clearly established. The authors report three cases of SAPHO syndrome in psoriatic patients commenting on the difficulty in differentiating this entity from psor iatic arthritis as well as its relationship with seronegative spondilo -arthropathies. This disease has been described mainly in Japan an onl y a few cases of this disease have been. reported in the European or A merican literature.