The musculoskeletal manifestations of acne fulminans

We describe a relatively uncommon and poorly understood relationship between a particularly severe form of acne and an associated arthritis. Two young men are described, 1 of whom possesses the HLA-B27 antigen. Their clinical courses are described, responses to therapeutic intervention outlined, and some speculation regarding etiology is made. A review of the literature is included. The prognosis is uncertain, since 1 of the patients has sacroiliitis.