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Pseudo-Gout Causes

Gout is a disease in which uric acid crystals are deposited in the joint spaces, causing pain and inflammation. Pseudo-gout is a disease similar to gout, except that the crystals deposited in the joints are calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate, a compound created from the breakdown and formation of bones. While there is treatment to reverse the crystal deposits in gout, management of pseudo-gout mostly involves pain management.

  1. Gout

    • Uric acid is a byproduct of incomplete protein breakdown. As the concentration of uric acid increases in blood plasma, uric acid crystals begin to form. As plasma is filtered into the joint spaces to form synovial fluid to lubricate the joins, the crystals are deposited in the joints, causing inflammation and pain.

    Pseudo-Gout

    • In pseudo-gout, there is also pain and swelling where the crystals are deposited. Unlike gout, pseudo-gout does not involve uric acid crystals. Instead, the crystals in pseudo-gout are made from calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD), a byproduct of bone formation and destruction. Pseudo-gout can affect any joint, though the knee joints are most commonly affected.

    Genetic Causes

    • While the exact causes of pseudo-gout are not clear, the condition has been observed to run in families. This points to either a genetic reason for pseudo-gout or for conditions that lead to it. For example, hemochromatosis, a disease in which excess hemoglobin and red blood cells are made, can trigger the excess deposits of CPPD in joints.

    Excess Calcium

    • Hyperparathyroidism, a disease in which the parathyroid glands increase the levels of calcium in the blood by breaking down bones, is a known risk factor for pseudo-gout. This is because the breaking down of the bones leads to an increase in circulating CPPD. Other conditions which raise calcium levels, like osteoporosis, are also risk factors for pseudo-gout.

    Treatment

    • Treatment for pseudo-gout mostly involves managing the pain caused by the disease. This can be done through over-the-counter painkillers. In the most severe cases, anti-inflammatory medication can be injected directly into the joint. There is no way to dissolve the CPPD crystals, unlike medications that are able to dissolve uric acid crystals in gout.

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