What is chondrocalcinosis?
Chondrocalcinosis is a rheumatic disease characterized by excessive accumulation of calcium crystals in the bones. The knee is the area most commonly affected by this condition, although it is also common in other joints and bony areas.
What are the symptoms of chondrocalcinosis?
Chondrocalcinosis usually causes no symptoms or discomfort in patients, so it is only seen on an X-ray. In this test, the main evidence of chondrocalcinosis is the existence of a white line in the cavities at the ends of the bone.
However, many patients may have an episode of acute arthritis or pseudogout, especially in the wrist, knee and ankle.
What are the causes of chondrocalcinosis?
Injuries that deteriorate the properties of collagen and other cartilage proteins, such as repetitive microtrauma, predispose to excessive deposition of calcium crystals. Other causes may be magnesium deficiency or excess calcium or iron. It can also be related to metabolic or endocrinological disorders, such as hyperparathyroidism, hypothyroidism, hypomagnesemia, hypophosphatasia, hemochromatosis, among others.
Can chondrocalcinosis be prevented?
Some measures to prevent wear and tear of the joints are to do moderate exercise to increase muscle strength and to maintain an adequate weight. That is to say, if the patient remains healthy, both in his diet and in his daily exercise, he would have few options to suffer from this pathology.
What is the treatment of chondrocalcinosis?
If the chondrocalcinosis is secondary, that is to say, it is related to another pathology, the originating disorder will be treated. As for cases of acute arthritis, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, application of cold on the affected area and puncture-aspiration to reduce joint pressure is required.
What specialist treats it?
The specialist in charge of treating this disorder is the rheumatologist.