Calcium Crystals and Arthritis: What Is New Under Polarizing Light?
Calcium Crystals and Arthritis: What Is New Under Polarizing Light?
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DOI：
10.1097/rhu.0b013e3181953a8e
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发表时间：
2009-01-01
影响因子：
3.4
通讯作者：
Rosenthal, Ann K.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Rosenthal, Ann K.
Most rheumatologists are familiar with the basics of calcium crystal arthritis. However, 40 years have now elapsed since the original description of the 2 diseases that are associated with articular calcium crystals, and much of what we know about diagnostic modalities and therapies remain inadequate and often unchallenged. Why do we think these crystals are important? What are some new and exciting things about calcium crystals? These crystals are far more common than we think. Because they often occur in the setting of osteoarthritis, where they cause further damage to already damaged tissue, they may represent targets for osteoarthritis (OA) therapies and may aid in our understanding of pathogenesis in OA. Poor diagnostic techniques present a major hurdle in the crystal field. There are some new diagnostic modalities on the horizon. We are also making significant progress in understanding the pathogenesis of these interesting diseases and this brings us a little closer to our quest for effective therapies.Two types of calcium crystals are commonly found in joint fluids. Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate, or CPPD crystals, are more readily diagnosed, but hydroxyapatite-like basic calcium phosphate (BCP) crystals may be even more common. We will discuss the clinical presentation of both of these types of crystal arthritis and briefly touch on their diagnosis, pathogenesis, management, and their relationship with osteoarthritis, with an emphasis on what is new.
