RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Intraarticular tophi in a joint without a previous gouty attack.
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 1868
OP 1870
VO 30
IS 8
A1 Yu, Kuang-Hui
YR 2003
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/30/8/1868.abstract
AB Subcutaneous tophi are usually a late clinical manifestation of gout. However, intraarticular tophi may develop very early, since crystal shedding has been presumed to precipitate an acute gouty attack. There is little direct evidence of intraarticular tophi before the initial gouty attack. We describe a patient who had gout for 3 years without subcutaneous tophi. Whitish intraarticular deposits, presumably representing urate tophi, were noted during right knee arthroscopy for a posterior cruciate ligament tear. This observation illustrates that tophi deposition may occur early, even in previously unaffected joints.