Ackerman syndrome: a rare cause of arthritis with dermatitis

We present a case of a middle-aged woman who presented with acute onset of non-erosive oligoarthritis and cutaneous lesions. Her laboratory work up revealed mild anaemia with positive antinuclear antibody. Her skin biopsy confirmed the presence of interstitial granulomatous dermatitis. She was treated with a successful trial of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis with arthritis (IGDA), or Ackerman syndrome, is an under-recognised cause of arthritis with dermatitis. This is primarily due to the varied clinical presentation of the skin lesions and the non-specific laboratory findings. Our aim is to highlight the pivotal role of skin biopsy as part of the diagnostic assessment of patients who present with arthritis and concomitant skin lesions.