Clinical and radiographic findings in patients with chondrocalcinosis

Abstract

Background. Calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease results from the deposition of calcium pyrophosphate crystals and needs to fulfil McCarty criteria for diagnosis. Chondrocalcinosis is defined as cartilage and fibrocartilage calcification identified by imaging or histological examination. The presence of calcium-containing crystals in synovial fluid is associated strongly with the degenerative joint disease, but the exact mechanism remains to be elucidated. Objectives. To compare the clinical and radiographic characteristics in patients with and without chondrocalcinosis. Material and methods. One hundred and forty-three patients, 86 with chondrocalcinosis and 57 controls with primary osteoarthritis were consecutively enrolled in this case-control, transversal, prospective study performed in the Rheumatology Department, Emergency Clinical County Hospital Cluj-Napoca, Romania, between January 2015 and January 2018. A subgroup of 39 patients fulfilled McCarty criteria for calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease. Demographic data, clinical data, laboratory data, knee radiographs, knee ultrasound, were recorded in both groups. Kellgren-Lawrence score was graded in all patients at the knee level. Results. The patients with chondrocalcinosis had higher tender joint count (3.1±6.8 versus 1.9±0.1, p<0.05), swollen joint count (1.37±0.9 versus 0.28±0.3, p<0.05), visual analogue scale for pain (7.72±1.28 versus 6.5±3.5, p<0.05). Kellgren-Lawrence score at the knee level was higher in the chondrocalcinosis group (p<0.05) comparing to controls, but not when comparing the CPPD group with the chondrocalcinosis group. Osteoarthritis was associated with chondrocalcinosis when compared to controls and with definite CPPD when comparing to chondrocalcinosis subgroup. Conclusions. Chondrocalcinosis was associated with pain, arthritis and higher Kellgren-Lawrence score than the controls.