Method: During 4-year periods (1997∼2001), 37 patients with anterior chest wall pain was analyzed with regard to the causes of pain and the frequencies of the diseases.

Results: 17 patients (45.9%) had systemic diseases and 20 patients (54.1%) had focal joint problems. Systemic disease included the undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy (18.9%), ankylosing spondylitis (13.5%), psoriatic arthritis (2.7%), SAPHO (Synovitis, Acne, Psoriasis, Hyperostosis, Osteitis) syndrome (8.1%), and rheumatoid arthritis (2.7%). Focal joint diseases included costochondritis (10.8%), sternoclavicular inflammatory arthropahty (5.4%), sternoclavicular hyperostosis (2.7%) and infective arthritis (2.7%). Other focal joint problems were pain in sternoclavicular joint with the tenderness and swelling (2.7%), pain in costochondral joint (13.6%), sternoclavicular joint (5.4%), xyphoid process (2.7%) with only focal tenderness. 3 (8.1%) patients had pain in chest wall which had no focal tenderness and swellings on the joint.

Conclusion: Diverse systemic diseases were identified as causes of the anterior chest wall pain. So physiatrist keep in mind this result and make use of them in diagnostic approaching of the anterior chest pain due to chest wall skeletal involvement. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2003; 27: 96-101)

Keywords :Anterior chest pain, Musculoskeletal cause, Spondyloarthropathy, SAPHO syndrome