Two cases with pachydermoperiostosis and discussion of tamoxifen citrate treatment for arthralgia

Abstract

Idiopathic hypertrophic osteoarthropathy is a rare syndrome, characterized by clubbing, progressive enlargement of the joints, coarse facial features suggesting acromegaly, palmoplantar hyperhidrosis, fibrous covering at the ends of long bones (periostosis), and acro-osteolysis. It is a self-limiting condition but arthralgia may be as severe as limiting social life and activity, and it is the main complaint to be treated. We report on two siblings with pachydermoperiostosis (PDP), one of whom had arthralgia. Although several drugs have been used, we used tamoxifen for his arthralgia and his complaint disappeared. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second case treated by tamoxifen reported in the literature. © Clinical Rheumatology 2006.