The relationship between chondrocalcinosis and osteoarthritis in Saudi Arabia

The association between articular chondrocalcinosis and osteoarthritis was sought by studying 92 patients over the age of 60. Anteroposterior and lateral X-ray projections of knees, hands and wrists were studied for the presence of chondrocalcinosis and osteoarthritis. Of the 92 patients (60 males, 32 females), six had chondrocalcinosis of the knees; two of them also had it in the wrist. The six cases with chondrocalcinosis were compared to the 86 cases without, for the presence of osteoarthritis in the different compartments of the knees, intercarpal joints (IC) and metacarpophalangeal joints (MCP). We found an association between chondrocalcinosis and osteoarthritis of the lateral knee compartment (odd ratio (OR) 10.59, 95% CI 3.47-34.9), second MCP joint (OR 3.27 95% CI 1.44-8.93), third MCP joints (OR 6.92, 95% CI 1.99-25.54) and IC joint (OR 5.69, 95% CI 1.14-29.7). No association was found with overall knee OA, medial knee compartment OA or patellofemoral OA. In conclusion, chondrocalcinosis was associated with OA of the lateral knee compartment, second MCP, third MCP and IC joints.