PSEUDOPODAGRA DUE TO HYDROXYAPATITE - A PROPOS OF 3 CASES

Calcium hydroxyapatite crystals deposit in periarticular soft tissues usually translates itself clinically through pain and mobility limitat ion of affected joint. Compromise of small joints in feet is infrequen t, less than 1% of all cases. Recently pseudopodagra crises have benn described due to the deposit of this material in soft tissues adjacent to metatarsal or phalangeal first joint. Its clinical expression is p ractically undistinguishable from gout crises. Three new cases of pesu dopodagra due to hidroxyamatite are presented and some considerations are made concerning this clinical entity and its differential diagnosi s in relation to gout.