Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition (CPPD)

Overview

Calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease, sometimes called pseudogout, is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops when calcium pyrophosphate crystals build up in joint cartilage and trigger inflammation. It's most common in adults over 60, though it can appear earlier, and it's often linked to other issues such as parathyroid problems, low magnesium, certain inherited metabolic conditions, or existing osteoarthritis or gout. Flares typically bring on sudden, severe pain, warmth and swelling, most often in the knee, and repeated flares can gradually damage cartilage if they go untreated.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

• Did joint fluid testing confirm calcium pyrophosphate crystals, or are we going by symptoms and imaging alone?
• Could an underlying condition, like a parathyroid problem or low magnesium, be contributing to this, and should I be tested for it?
• What's the fastest way to calm down a flare — joint drainage, a steroid injection, or an oral medication?
• Since there's no treatment that dissolves the crystals themselves, what does long-term management look like for me?
• If I keep having frequent flares, would a preventive medication like colchicine make sense?

Getting Care

A rheumatologist can confirm CPPD, often by analyzing joint fluid or reviewing X-rays and ultrasound, and guide both flare treatment and long-term management. Seek care sooner if a joint becomes suddenly hot, swollen and very painful, since that can also point to a joint infection that needs urgent evaluation.

Source: https://rheumatology.org/patients/calcium-pyrophosphate-deposition-cppd