ABSTRACT
Arthritis associated with articular calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD)
crystals was first described in the early 1960s with the discovery of uricase-
resistant crystals in patients with an acute gout-like arthritis (1). Simultaneous
studies describing an unusual form of familial oligoarticular arthritis associated
with articular calcium crystals rapidly confirmed the clinical importance of this
finding (2). The careful work of these astute physician-scientists led to the
description of a whole new disease, now commonly called CPPD crystal
deposition disease. Subsequent work showed that CPPD crystals were found in a
variety of clinical settings and were not exclusive to patients with an acute
monoarticular arthritis. Studies demonstrating the inflammatory nature of these
crystals and their destructive effects on articular tissues provided further support
for their clinical importance (3).
