Crystal Arthritis - Past, Present and Future

The crystal related arthropathies represent a heterogenous group of disorders in which minerals are deposited in musculoskeletal tissue resulting in pathological alterations. Intra articular crystals can cause acute and chronic inflammation and joint damage via biomechanical and biochemical pathways.The most common crystal related arthopathies are Gout, Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate disease (pseudogout) and calcific periarthritis/ tendonitis (Basic calcium phosphate crystal deposition disease). Of these gout is the most common but easily misdiagnosed problem in day to day practice. “ Screw up the vice as tightly as possible you have rheumatism, give it another turn and that is gout” Anonymous