title: [Uncommon cervicobrachial neuralgia: about 17 cases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervicobrachial neuralgia (CBN) is frequent in out patient clinic as well in general medicine as in rheumatology. Even though cervical disc degeneration and osteophytosis constitute the most frequent etiology of such a trouble, the practitioner must be aware of much more serious underlying cause.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the epidemiology, clinical features, aetiologies and paraclinical characteristics of uncommon CBN.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review about 17 cases of uncommon CBN among the 84 cases of CBN hospitalized at the rheumatology department of the Charles Nicolle Hospital during a 16-years-period [1990-2005].
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 11 men and 6 women with a mean age of 63 years [33y-81y]. All patients presented a CBN since in average five months [2 months- 24 months]. Neck stiffness was noted in 60% of cases and a neurological impairment in 47% of cases. X-ray radiographs of cervical spine were normal in five cases. In the remaining cases, they showed lytic images (six cases), disk space narrowing with vertebral erosions (two cases) and vertebral fracture (three cases). Further investigations concluded that the CBN was due to a Pancoast'syndrome in five cases, an infectious spondylitis in three cases, cervical bone metastasis in two cases, a syringomyelia in two cases, a neuroma in one case, a thoracic outlet syndrome in one case and an erosive spondylarthropathy in a patient presenting chronic renal failure managed by hemodialysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In comparison with common CBN, our patients presenting symptomatic CBN were characterised by an inflammatory and refractory pain. The more frequent recourse to modern imaging is justified.
authors.affiliation: Service de rheumatologie, Hopital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheikhrouhou Abdelmoula
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Daoud
authors.forename: Chiraz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ben Hadj Yahia
authors.forename: Raoudha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tekaya
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chaabouni
authors.forename: Rafik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zouari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020968:Brachial Plexus Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies