Bureau-Barrière syndrome (sporadic ulceromutilating acropathy) is a peripheral neuropathy of ethanolic origin, accompanied by cutaneous and osteoarticular lesions.

Epidemiological, clinical, evolutive and therapeutical observations are shown from a retrospective study on 11 cases of Bureau-Barrière syndrome.

Patients and method: 

The group of patients consisted of 10M and 1F with the average age of 59,5 and a history of disease of about 2,6 years. The diagnosis was established on dermatological, neurological and imagistic examinations.

Treatment consisted of group B vitamins, Vitamin E, hemorheologics, hepatotropics, general antibiotics (in superinfection cases), correcting nutritional imbalances and local treatment with antiseptic solutions and topical reepithelization.

Results:

All the patients were chronically consuming alcohol 9 of which were smokers. Seven patients claimed they have been subjected to prolonged exposure to cold and humidity due to their professions. They showed the following comoborbidities: toxic ethanolic chronic hepatitis (6 patients) mixt chronic hepatitis (1 patient), anemic syndrome (5 patients) gastrointestinal disorders (3 patients), dyslipidemia (3 patients), rosacea (1 patient), pelagroid erythema (1 patient) and Launois- Bensaude lipomatosis (1 patient).

Nine patients showed an improvement on the state of their lesions, most obvious in cases with a recent history of Bureau-Barrière syndrome without severe bone lesions. Two patients due to severe bone injuries and superinfection required amputation (hallux amputation in one case and toe amputation in the other).

Conclusions: 

Complex and early treatment and quitting alcohol consumption can stop the evolution of Bureau-Barrière syndrome and can help prevent bone disorders that sometimes require amputation.

Bureau-Barrière syndrome is considered a rare disease but a large percentage of chronic alcohol consumers enforces the conduct of studies to know its true incidence.