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Internal derangement of the knee secondary to a meniscal tear has been recently observed in patients with chondrocalcinosis. However, there is no data about the prevalence of meniscal tears associated to chondrocalcinosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to know the rates of meniscal tear in patients with chondrocalcinosis. The study population was a cohort of 1031 consecutive outpatients who underwent arthroscopy of the knee. Meniscal tear was present in 322 patients and 709 patients had intact meniscus. The specific subgroup of interest included 58 knees from 58 patients (25 males and 33 females) with arthroscopic evidences of chondrocalcinosis. Patients with chondrocalcinosis had significantly higher rates of meniscal tear compared to those without chondrocalcinosis (74.1 versus 28.7%, p < 0.001). An absolute and attributable risk of tear was 74 and 8%, respectively, in knees with chondrocalcinosis. Relative risk of tear in patients with chondrocalcinosis versus without chondrocalcinosis was 2.58 (95% confidence interval 2.16-3.10). In patients with chondrocalcinosis and meniscal tear, the duration of the disease was about 5.3 (range 1-8) years versus 4.9 (range 3-7) years in those patients with chondrocalcinosis and an intact meniscus (p = 0.75). In conclusion, our findings support that chondrocalcinosis predispose meniscal tearing even in the absence of any traumatic event. Further longitudinal studies are needed to characterize the impact of chondrocalcinosis and meniscal vulnerability.

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The aim of this study was to know whether or not any crystal shedding occurs after ambulation in patients with gout and how it affects the consistency of the sonographic image of crystal deposition on hyaline cartilage. A total of 18 consecutive patients (29 knees), 11 with early gout (17 knees) and seven with chondrocalcinosis (12 knees), were prospectively scanned by ultrasound. Examination at rest and after ambulation was performed in each patient. Crystal aggregates were measured in a transverse view. Crystal shedding after ambulation was noted in two patients (two knees) with gout. However, crystal deposits on the surface of the articular cartilage in gout kept invariable size. In patients with chondrocalcinosis, crystal shedding by ambulation was absent. The conclusion of this study is that the size of crystal deposits on the hyaline cartilage in gout and chondrocalcinosis assessed by ultrasound is not modifiable by ambulation.

European Journal of Rheumatology (Eur J Rheumatol) is an international, open access peer reviewed journal committed to promoting the highest standards of scientific exchange and education. The journal is published quarterly on January, April, July and October.The aim of the European Journal of Rheumatology is to cover various aspects of rheumatology for its readers, encompassing the spectrum of diseases with arthritis, musculoskeletal conditions, autoinflammatory diseases, connective tissue disorders, osteoporosis, translational research, the latest therapies and treatment programs. European Journal of Rheumatology publishes original articles, invited reviews, case based reviews, letters to the editor and images in rheumatology. The publication language of the journal is English.

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The purpose of this pictorial assay is to show the arthroscopic findings of two patients with hypermobility syndrome and patellofemoral malalignment. Severe chondral damage and recurrent bleeding were common findings in these patients. One patient also had a meniscal impingement syndrome. A dynamic assessment of the patellofemoral joint as well as the evaluation of the lateral and medial retinaculum was performed by arthroscopy. Pictures of damaged area on the articular cartilage were obtained through a 5-mm arthroscope using standard portals. A lack of the patellae retinaculum involvement was proved arthroscopically in both cases. Mechanical complaints and recurrent effusion, even without history of trauma, should alert physicians who manage patients with hypermobility. In patients with joint hypermobility, the damage of the cartilage is real and often a therapeutic challenge.