Sternocostoclavicular h yperostosis (SCCH), also called intersternocostoclavicular ossification and, more recently, pustulotic arthroosteitis, is a rare syndrome in western countries. However this interesting osteoarticular disease, often associated with a palmoplantar pustulosis, seems to occur frequently in Japan. The case described here, one of the very few in Europe and North America, is notable in that it was possible to follow the patient's course over 31 years.
Case report. The patient, a 51-year-old male radio-television technician, reported having had sternoclavicular pains with progressive stiffening of the shoulder girdle since he was 20 years old. When he was serving in the army, he had had difficulty in flinging objects normally and aligning his rifle in the "shoulder arms" position. Radiographs taken when he was 25 years old showed normal sternoclavicular joints but signs of a manubriosternal erosive arthritis.
During the next 20 years the disease was characterized by 2 essential features: occasional bouts of inflammatory pain localized at the sternocostoclavicular junction (without swelling or redness of the soft tissues) and a total bilateral stiffness of the shoulder girdle. The pains were clearly aggravated by cold and alcohol consumption and did not respond to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.