Clinical course and factors associated with progressive acro-osteolysis in early systemic sclerosis: a retrospective cohort study

To examine clinical course of early systemic sclerosis (SSc) and identify factors for progression of acro-osteolysis by a retrospective cohort study. Dual time-point hand radiography was performed at median interval (range 3.0 ± 0.4 years) in 64 recruited patients. Progressive acro-osteolysis was defined as the worsening of severity of acro-osteolysis according to rating scale (normal, mild, moderate, and severe). Incidence of the progression was determined. Cox regression was analyzed for the predictors. A total of 193.6 per 100 person-years, 19/64 patients had progressive acro-osteolysis with incidence of 9.8 per 100-person-years (95% CI 6.3-15.4). The median time of progressive acro-osteolysis was 3.5 years. Rate of progression increased from 1st to 3rd years follow-up with the progression rate at 1-, 2- and 3-years were 0, 2.0 and 18.3%, respectively. Patients with positive anti-topoisomerase I tended to have more progressive acro-osteolysis but no significant predictors on Cox regression. 44%, 18%, and 33% of who had no, mild, and moderate acro-osteolysis previously developed progression and 10 turned to be severe acro-osteolysis. In conclusion, the incidence of progressive acro-osteolysis was uncommon in early SSc but the rate of progression was pronouncedly increasing after three years follow-up. A half of the patients progressed to severe acro-osteolysis.

Clinical Associations of Degos-Like Lesions in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis

Importance

Degos-like lesions are cutaneous manifestations of a small-vessel vasculopathy that appear as atrophic, porcelain-white papules with red, telangiectatic borders. No study has adequately examined Degos-like lesions in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Objective

To characterize the serologic, cutaneous, and internal organ manifestations associated with Degos-like lesions in a large cohort of patients with SSc.

Design, Settings, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study involved adult patients with SSc who were seen at Stanford Rheumatologic Dermatology Clinic between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2018. Participants fulfilled the 2013 classification criteria for SSc. Data analysis was conducted from February 1 to June 1, 2019.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Data on demographic characteristics; autoantibody status; clinical characteristics, including cutaneous and systemic manifestations of SSc; and presence of Degos-like lesions were collected.

Results

The cohort comprised 506 patients with SSc (447 females [88.3%]; mean [SD] age at first non-Raynaud disease symptoms, 46.1 [15.2] years). Twenty-seven patients (5.3%) had Degos-like lesions, of whom 24 (89.0%) had lesions affecting the fingers. Patients with Degos-like lesions were more likely to have diffuse cutaneous SSc compared with patients without lesions (15 [55.6%] vs 181 [37.8%]; P = .04). Degos-like lesions were also associated with acro-osteolysis (10 [37.0%] vs 62 [12.9%]; P < .01), digital ulcers (15 [55.6%] vs 173 [36.1%]; P = .04), and calcinosis (15 [55.6%] vs 115 [24.0%]; P < .01). While Degos-like lesions were not associated with internal organ manifestations, such as scleroderma renal crisis, interstitial lung disease, or pulmonary arterial hypertension, there was P < .10 for the association with gastric antral vascular ectasia.

Conclusions and Relevance

Results of this study suggest an association of Degos-like lesions with diffuse cutaneous SSc and other cutaneous manifestations of vasculopathy, including acro-osteolysis, calcinosis, and digital ulcers. A prospective longitudinal study is warranted to examine the onset of Degos-like lesions and to elucidate whether these lesions play a role in SSc.

Effect of zoledronic acid on acro-osteolysis and osteoporosis in a patient with Hajdu-Cheney syndrome

Hajdu-Cheney syndrome is a rare, autosomal dominant skeletal dysplasia marked by acro-osteolysis of the distal phalanges and severe osteoporosis. Although there are more than 60 reports published to date, proper treatment and subsequent outcome have been scarce. Herein, we report a progress of anti-resorptive therapy with zoledronic acid, in a woman with Hajdu-Cheney syndrome. Results suggest that anti-resorptive therapy may be important in delaying the progress of osteoporosis and preventing fractures, but not necessarily acro-osteolysis itself.

Exuberant calcinosis and acroosteolysis. A diagnostic challenge

A case of exuberant acroosteolysis and subcutaneous tissue calcinosis in the absence of skin involvement is presented. Different hypotheses are discussed following the clinical unfolding of the case in practice.

Acro-osteolysis and mononeuritis multiplex as a presenting symptom of systemic angiitis of Wegener's type

Wegener's granulomatosis is a multisystem disorder involving small- and medium-sized vessels, leading to granuloma formation and involvement of upper and lower respiratory tract with or without glomerulonephritis. However, limited forms of angiitis and granulomatosis of the Wegener's type with oligosymptomatic and atypical site involvement are known to occur. We present here a rare case of limited form of angiitis and granulomatosis of Wegener's type who presented sequentially with spontaneous resorption of digits with acro-osteolysis and mononeuritis multiplex over a period of 10 months. His vasculitic workup revealed high proteinase 3 antibodies (c-ANCA) titers and an almost asymptomatic lung involvement, detected on high-resolution computed tomography of chest. The patient was aggressively treated with immunosuppressive therapy, following which he showed good improvement.

Blepharophimosis, corneal vascularization, deafness, and acroosteolysis: a "new" syndrome?

We report on a patient with blepharophimosis who after unsuccessful surgery developed progressive corneal vascularization. The patient had conductive hearing loss, acroosteolysis of the phalanges, arthropathy, loss of subcutaneous fat of the hands, feet and face, and oligospermia. He had had spontaneous pneumothorax four times. We have found no similar case reports in the literature and suggest that this is a new syndrome, which must be differentiated from hereditary mucoepithelial dysplasia, mandibuloacral dysplasia, keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome, Hajdu-Cheney syndrome, Penttinen syndrome, and mucopolysaccharidoses.

Mandibuloacral dysplasia: a report of two Egyptian cases

Mandibuloacral dysplasia (MAD) is a rare disorder. Only 35 patients, coming from 22 families, have been reported worldwide. We report on two Egyptian unrelated girls with MAD. The first patient presented at the age of 5 years with acral defect and partial alopecia. The second patient presented at the age of 17 years with progressive micrognathia and loss of subcutaneous fat from the limbs. Physical examination detected the craniofacial, skeletal and cutaneous changes characteristic of MAD. Both patients were short with progeroid facies and loss of subcutaneous fat from the extremities, which fits lipodystrophy type A pattern. Radiological examination revealed delayed closure of cranial sutures, hypoplastic mandible, hypoplastic clavicles, and acroosteolysis. Both patients had normal glucose tolerance, but had fasting and post-prandial hyperinsulinemia, suggestive of insulin resistance. One patient had elevated serum triglycerides and low normal cholesterol levels, while the other patient had normal levels. Serum leptin was normal in both patients. We review the literature on mandibuloacral dysplasia and discuss the differential diagnosis.

A case of mandibuloacral dysplasia presenting with features of scleroderma

Juvenile scleroderma, a relatively rare condition, may be confused with a number of progeroid syndromes like Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome, Werner syndrome and Rothmund-Thomson syndrome. In this case report, we describe a 9-year-old boy who presented with sclerodactyly, acroosteolysis and scleroderma-like involvement of the skin over hands and feet, which suggested a diagnosis of juvenile scleroderma initially. However, absence of Raynaud's phenomenon, sparing of the skin other than hands and feet and negative serological studies did not support this diagnosis. On the basis of additional findings (micrognathia, dental malformation, a 'beaked nose', open cranial sutures and sparse hair), the patient was diagnosed as mandibuloacral dysplasia, a rare autosomal recessive disease. This case demonstrates that mandibuloacral dysplasia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of juvenile scleroderma in the presence of atypical features such as negative serological studies, absence of Raynaud's phenomenon, sparse hair and micrognathia.

Adult-onset idiopathic progressive acro-osteolysis with proximal symphalangism

We experienced a 57-year-old female with adult-onset non-congenital idiopathic acro-osteolysis combined with proximal symphalangism. At the age of 36, she developed severe pain and swelling of the toe base of both feet and underwent Clayton surgery. However, the size of her toes diminished progressively over the 5-year period after surgery. At the age of 41, she suffered pain and swelling of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints of fingers of both hands. These PIP joints became rigid and inflexible. Subsequently, she noticed shortening of the little finger of both hands, followed later by shortening of the index, middle, and ring fingers. At the age of 57, the thumbs began to shorten. Laboratory and endocrinological examinations were not abnormal. Finally, we diagnosed her with acro-osteolysis combined with proximal symphalangism by radiological examination. In this case, previously unreported mutations of the Noggin gene were identified. This is the first case report of adult-onset, non-congenital idiopathic acro-osteolysis combined with proximal symphalangism.