Foot involvement in psoriatic arthritis: Prevalence, clinical and radiological features.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of foot involvement in psoriatic arthritis and to describe its different clinical and radiological features. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross sectional study including 40 patients with psoriatic arthritis over a period of 12 months. Anamnesis, clinical examination of feet, podoscopic examination, X-rays of feet and heels, and ultrasound in B mode and power Doppler mode were done for each patient. RESULTS: Foot involvement was found in 95% of cases. It was symptomatic in 70% and inaugural of the disease in 20% of cases. The hindfoot and the forefoot were the sites most affected (77.5% and 47.5% respectively). The involvement of the midfoot was rarer (25%). Dactylitis was found in 17.5% and deformities of forefoot were found in 22.5% of cases. Antalgic gait was noted in 17.5% and static disorders of foot at podoscopic examination were identified in 35% of cases. Feet dermatological manifestations were found in 45% of cases. Diagnosis of different rheumatological manifestations was based on clinical findings and caracteristic radiological images on X-rays. We demonstrate he sensitivity of ultrasound in the detection and the diagnosis of different foot lesions including enthesitis, synovitis and tenosynovitis, dactylitis, bone erosions and psoriatic nail dystrophy.

Multifocal hydatidosis with extensive involvement of the sacrum and the femoral head.

Key Clinical Message: Hydatidosis is a parasitic infection caused by the larval form of "Echinococcus granulosis." Bone localization is rare even in endemic areas. We report an unusual case of an extensive hydatidosis of the right sacrum and femur with muscle involvement. Abstract: We report the case of a man, with a history of visceral hydatidosis, who developed after 14 years an extensive hydatidosis of the sacrum and femur with muscle involvement. The treatment of visceral hydatidosis was chemotherapy with albendazole for a long term. Conservative surgical treatment is considered for bone locations.

Neuropathic arthropathy of the wrist revealing a syringomyelia.

Syringomyelia is uncommonly revealed by a neuropathic arthropathy (Charcot joint) and characterised by its slow progression with late neurological symptoms. In this particular field, neuropathic arthropathies mainly affect the shoulders and the elbows.We report a new case of neuropathic arthropathy of the wrist caused by syringomyelia, because of the rarity of this condition as well as its uncommon location.Neuropathic arthropathy caused by syringomyelia is poorly published in the literature. This atypical entity should be considered in case of Charcot arthropathy associated with neurological loss, especially when it affects the upper limbs.

Giant retrocrural plasmacytoma as a relapse of multiple myeloma.

The aim of our clinical image is to report an unusual retrocrural plasmacytoma relapsing a multiple myeloma.

Spinal Paget's disease with bilevel cord compression and ischemic non-compressive myelopathy treated with zoledronic acid.

Cord compression and ischemic non-compressive myelopathy are a complication of spinal Paget's disease (SPD). SPD usually touches a single spine level. We report an unusual case with bilevel spinal cord compression and dysfunction which was medically treated due to resolution of the vascular steal syndrome.

Bilateral septic arthritis of the sternoclavicular joint complicating infective endocarditis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Septic arthritis is an infectious disease that commonly affects weight-bearing or proximal joints such as the knee and the hip. The sternoclavicular joint is an unusual site of this entity. It usually occurs in patients with diabetes mellitus, intravenous drug abusers, or those with rheumatoid arthritis. Analysis of the previous literature showed few articles and these described essentially cases of unilateral presentation. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a rare case of a bilateral septic arthritis of the sternoclavicular joint sustained by a 71-year-old Tunisian woman whose medical history was significant for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis 6 months ago. Imaging investigations revealed destruction of the medial extremities of her two clavicles and bilateral collections in the soft tissues around her sternoclavicular joints. She was treated successfully by needle aspiration drainage combined with a 12-week antibiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral septic arthritis of the sternoclavicular joint is an extremely rare entity, with a paucity of literature. Only early diagnosis, which is obtained from the culture of the joint fluid using needle aspiration, allows satisfactory functional outcome and a good prognosis. Osteoarticular infections should be considered in patients with recent infective endocarditis in cases of fever recurrence.

[Solitary bone plasmacytoma: about 3 cases and review of the literature]. / Le plasmocytome solitaire osseux: à propos de 3 cas et revue de la littérature.

Solitary plasmocytomas are rare, accounting for less than 5% of all plasmocytes proliferations. Its diagnosis is based on the presence of localized tumor of monoclonal plasma cells cytologically identical to those of multiple myeloma, in the absence of other signs of a disseminated form. This study aims to carry out a retrospective study of three cases of solitary bone plasmocytomas associated with a detailed review of the literature describing the diagnostic, therapeutic and evolving characteristics of this rare entity.