William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP
Dr. Balentine received his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. He attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating in1983. He completed his internship at St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia and his Emergency Medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he served as chief resident.
In this Article
- Pseudogout facts
- What is pseudogout?
- What are causes of pseudogout?
- What are risk factors for pseudogout?
- What are pseudogout symptoms and signs?
- How does a doctor diagnose pseudogout?
- What are treatments for pseudogout?
- What other conditions can accompany pseudogout?
- Are there special circumstances that can promote attacks of pseudogout?
- What are complications of pseudogout?
- What is the prognosis of pseudogout?
- Is it possible to prevent pseudogout?
- What specialists treat pseudogout?
- Where can people get more information about pseudogout?
- Find a local Rheumatologist in your town
What are risk factors for pseudogout?
Older age and a history of joint trauma (either due to an accident or surgery) are risk factors for pseudogout.
What are pseudogout symptoms and signs?
Pseudogout can result in arthritis of a number of joints. The most common joint affected is the knee, but it can also involve the wrists, shoulders, hips, and/or ankles. Pseudogout usually affects only one or a few joints at a time. The "attacks" of joint inflammation, characterized by acute joint swelling, warmth, stiffness, and pain, may last for days to weeks and can resolve spontaneously. The inflammation leads to loss of range of motion and function of the involved joint.
How does a doctor diagnose pseudogout?
Pseudogout is suggested when abnormal calcifications are seen in the cartilage of joints on X-rays. These calcifications are referred to as chondrocalcinosis and very suggestive of a diagnosis of pseudogout when there is also inflammation of the involved joint.
The diagnosis of pseudogout is ultimately made when fluid from a joint is extracted and is examined under a special microscope called a polarizing microscope. With this microscope, the calcium pyrophosphate crystals are clearly identified by their characteristic shape and color (medically term weakly positively birefringent rhomboid crystals).
The arthritis of pseudogout is common in older adults, particularly in the context of dehydration such as occurs with hospitalization or surgery.
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