Sternoclavicular brucellar arthritis: A report of 7 cases and a review of the literature

Objective. To describe the clinical features of sternoclavicular arthritis. Methods. Medical records review of patients with sternoclavicular brucellar arthritis diagnosed and treated in a University Hospital in Lima, Peru. Results. Over a 21-year period, 1,729 cases of brucellosis were diagnosed and treated. Seven patients with sternoclavicular arthritis were identified; 5 had an acute course with current or past evidence of systemic infection. Four patients had involvement of another joint and one of the 7 developed a chest wall abscess. All patients recovered without sequelae. Conclusion. Recovery without sequelae is expected if patients with sternoclavicular brucellar arthritis are promptly diagnosed and treated.