Introduction to calcium pyrophosphate deposition

Zhang, Doherty, Bardin, 2011Zhang, Doherty, Pascual, 2011

Calcium pyrophosphate deposition is a disease of older people, the mean age at presentation is reported to be between 65 and 75 years.

Calcium pyrophosphate deposition occurs when excessive calcium pyrophosphate production results in local supersaturation and crystallisation. Deposition of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals occurs almost exclusively in the joints and is the most common cause of chondrocalcinosis (cartilage calcification).

Calcium pyrophosphate deposition is often asymptomatic, but can present clinically as:

• osteoarthritis with calcium pyrophosphate deposition
• acute calcium pyrophosphate crystal arthritis (formerly known as pseudogout), which is the most common cause of an acute monoarthritis in older people
• chronic calcium pyrophosphate crystal inflammatory arthritis.

See Clinical presentations of calcium pyrophosphate deposition for further discussion.