title: Refractory adhesive capsulitis under acitretin therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adhesive capsulitis (AC) is characterized by a limited active and passive motion. Although the exact pathology remains unknown, a number of contributing factors are discussed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  AC has probably been caused by the Re-PUVA therapy (PUVA irradiation plus acitretin) of a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, type mycosis fungoides. Acitretin belongs to the group of retinoids and is often used in cornification disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  After non-successful initial conservative therapy with intraarticular steroid injections and physical therapy, a significant improvement of shoulder joint mobility was finally achieved by an arthroscopic juxtaglenoid capsulotomy and adhesiolysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A therapy with acitretin should be considered as a possible trigger of AC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient's medication should be checked carefully on possible triggers of AC. The athroscopic adhesiolysis is an effective method for a frustrating conservative treatment of AC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44797 Bochum, Germany. m.lahner@klinikum-bochum.de
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lahner
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von Schulze Pellengahr
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Teske
authors.forename: Thomas Karl
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Lichtinger
authors.forename: Lars Victor
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: von Engelhardt
authors.forename: Kiriakos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Daniilidis
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lahner
mesh_terms: D017255:Acitretin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002062:Bursitis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000188:drug therapy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D017255:Acitretin