Purpose of review: Current evidence and accumulated experience for the management of calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD) are presented.
Recent findings: Contrary to other rheumatic inflammatory conditions that account for high interest and growing research, advances in treating CPPD are still very limited and mostly derive from those achieved in gout. Once formed, calcium pyrophosphate crystals cannot be dissolved; therefore, management relies on the control of crystal-derived inflammation. Besides classical agents-such as colchicine, glucocorticoids, or NSAIDs-the use of targeted therapies, mostly against interleukin-1, has provided a relevant relief for refractory CPPD patients in recent years. Meanwhile, former enthusiasm about conventional disease-modifying agents such as methotrexate is currently controversial.
Keywords: Anakinra; Calcium pyrophosphate; Chondrocalcinosis; Colchicine; Methotrexate; Therapy.