CALCIUM CRYSTALS DETECTED BY SCANNING ELECTRONIC MICROSCOPY IN SYNOVIAL FLUID OF PATIENTS WITH EARLY KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS. RELATIONSHIPS WITH INFIAMMATION AND DISEASE SEVERITY

The presence of calcium crystals (CC) in synovial fluid (SF) of osteoarthritis (OA) is a well known and frequent feature. However, their role in the pathogenesis of OA is still unclear and matter of discussion, in particular as regard the local inflammation. The objective of the study was to evaluate the presence of the most common CC, calcium pyrophosphate (dehydrate) (CPP) and basic calcium phosphate (BCP), in SF of the symptomatic knee OA (KOA, particularly in early disease stage (<1year) and to investigate their association with local infiammation, disease activityand severity.