[Articular chondrocalcinosis revealed by acute cervical symptoms simulating meningitis (author's transl)]

Four cases of acute cervical pain with high fever and important stiffness of the cervical spine, leading to study the cerebrospinal fluid in emergency, are reported. All cases had elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Recovery was obtained in all cases in a few days without treatment. The cerebrospinal fluid was normal in the three cases studied. In three patients the roentgenograms demonstrated calcified cervical cartilages, mainly in the atlas-axis joint, and osteo arthritis-like arthropathies. This syndrome, simulating meningitis revealed the calcium pyrophosphatecrystal deposition disease in the four cases. Crystal-induced arthritis of the cervical spine is suggested but not demonstrated.