Successful treatment of synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis and paradoxical skin lesions by Tripterygium wilfordii hook f: a case report

Synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome is a rare autoinflammatory disorder without standardized therapy. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α agents, which have been widely used in recent treatment of SAPHO syndrome, may elicit severe paradoxical psoriasiform lesions. Therefore, physicians must reverse the paradoxical skin lesions in affected patients, while improving their clinical symptoms of SAPHO syndrome. Herein, we describe a patient with SAPHO who exhibited TNF-α antagonist-induced paradoxical skin lesions and benefitted from treatment with Tripterygium wilfordii hook f (TwHF). A 58-year-old woman with SAPHO developed paradoxical psoriasiform lesions and exacerbation of primary palmoplantar pustulosis after 7 weeks of etanercept treatment. She then received TwHF treatment, which resulted in rapid and remarkable improvement in her skin lesions and osteoarticular pain. These findings suggest that TwHF might be a suitable treatment option for patients with SAPHO who exhibit TNF-α antagonist-induced paradoxical skin lesions.

Keywords: Case report; SAPHO syndrome; Tripterygium wilfordii hook f; acne vulgaris; anti-tumor necrosis factor-α agent; etanercept; osteitis; paradoxical skin lesion; psoriasis; synovitis.