Prevalence of chondrocalcinosis in the temporomandibular joint in patients with chondrocalcinosis of the knee or wrist

Imaging Evaluation of the Temporomandibular Joint

This article describes the anatomy and function of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), provides an overview of the various imaging modalities available for evaluating the TMJ, and discusses a variety of miscellaneous diseases that affect the TMJ.

Calcium Pyrophosphate Crystal Deposition in a Cohort of 57 Patients with Gitelman Syndrome

OBJECTIVE

Gitelman syndrome (GS) is the most frequent salt-wasting genetic tubulopathy and a source of hypokalaemia and hypomagnesemia. Chondrocalcinosis (CC) is a frequent feature of GS. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence, distribution patterns, clinical phenotypes and risk factors of CC in GS.

METHODS

This prospective study of a cohort of 57 patients with GS included a systematic screening for CC by peripheral joint radiography, cervical spine computerized tomography (CT) and joint ultrasonography. The prevalence of cervical C1-C2 CC by CT was compared between 33 GS patients and sex- and age-matched controls. Clinical and biochemical features were analysed to identify factors associated with CC.

RESULTS

Mean age of patients was 46.5 ± 12.4 years, 66.7% were women, and 93.0% carried SLC12A3 mutations. Mean serum magnesium level was 0.60 ± 0.30 mmol/l. CC was observed in 79% of patients, with the highest prevalence at the cervical spine (81.8%) followed by the knee (52.6%), wrist (50.9%), ankle (38.6%), temporomandibular joint (36.4%), shoulder (33.3%), hip (22.8%), elbow (14.0%) and sclero-choroid (12.1%). Prevalence of CC at the C1-C2 level was higher in the GS cohort than control group (72.7% vs 9.1%) (adjusted odds ratio 21.0, 95% CI 2.8-156.1, p= 0.003). Independent factors associated with CC were low serum magnesium level and age.

CONCLUSION

GS was associated with widespread CC, favoured by aging and hypomagnesemia. The C1-C2 level was the most affected site. Follow-up of this unique cohort will help understanding the clinical consequences of CC, especially the precise characterization of pyrophosphate arthropathy.