NODAL OSTEOARTHRITIS AND GOUT - A REPORT OF 4 NEW CASES

Recently gout has been recognized as a cause of inflammation in patien ts with nodal osteoarthritis. We reviewed the clinical data and radiog raphs of four patients with known osteoarthritis of the interphalangea l joints of the hands who developed gout. Radiographic changes of oste oarthritis in the affected interphalangeal joint were present in all f our patients. In our cases, radiographic findings were typical of gout in one patient, including the presence of large eccentric soft tissue masses and periarticular erosions. In three patients, radiographic fi ndings second, and a large calcified soft tissue non-specific, includi ng only a small eccentric nodule in one patient, diffuse soft tissue s welling in a sue mass with bony erosions in a third. Whenever a patien t with interphalangeal joint osteoarthritis presents with an acute epi sode of inflammation the possibility of gout should be considered. Rec ognition of gout will allow the timely initiation of appropriate thera py.