Osteoarthritis vs Pseudogout
Osteoarthritis and Pseudogout are easy to mix up on the boards. Here's a side-by-side comparison — presentation, workup, imaging, and first-line treatment — drawn from our full outlines.
Osteoarthritis vs Pseudogout at a glance
- Osteoarthritis: Non-inflammatory degenerative joint disease driven by progressive articular cartilage loss.
- Pseudogout: Acute crystal arthritis from calcium pyrophosphate deposition; classic site is the knee with chondrocalcinosis.
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Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Osteoarthritis | Pseudogout |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | Non-inflammatory degenerative joint disease driven by progressive articular cartilage loss. | Acute crystal arthritis from calcium pyrophosphate deposition; classic site is the knee with chondrocalcinosis. |
| Classic presentation | Heberden nodes (DIP) and Bouchard nodes (PIP); squared first CMC joint; medial knee joint-line tenderness.; Insidious joint pain worse with activity and… | Acute monoarticular or oligoarticular swelling, pain, and warmth — most often knee or wrist; Onset over hours to a day; often precipitated by surgery, trauma,… |
| Workup / key labs | ACR clinical criteria for knee OA: knee pain plus at least 3 of: age >50, stiffness <30 min, crepitus, bony tenderness, bony enlargement, no palpable warmth.… | ACR/EULAR 2023 classification criteria for CPPD use clinical features + imaging + crystal identification.; Arthrocentesis with polarized microscopy — rhomboid… |
| Imaging | Weight-bearing plain radiographs of the affected joint — first-line; MRI reserved for atypical presentations, suspected meniscal or ligamentous injury, or… | Plain radiographs — linear calcification within hyaline or fibrocartilage (chondrocalcinosis), classically in knee menisci, triangular fibrocartilage complex… |
| First-line treatment | Patient education and self-management programs; Exercise: low-impact aerobic, strengthening (quadriceps for knee OA), aquatic therapy; Weight loss (5-10% body… | — |
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