Fractures in Patients With Acute Calcium Pyrophosphate Crystal Arthritis Versus Matched Comparators in a Large Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease was associated with osteopenia in two cross-sectional studies. We compared fracture risks in patients with acute calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystal arthritis versus matched comparators. METHODS: We performed a longitudinal cohort study using electronic health record data from a single large academic health system, with data from 1991 to 2023. Patients with one or more episodes of acute CPP crystal arthritis were matched to comparators on the index date (first documentation of "pseudogout" or synovial fluid CPP crystals or matched encounter) and first encounter in the health system. The primary outcome was first fracture at the humerus, wrist, hip, or pelvis. We excluded patients with fracture before the index date. Covariates included demographics, body mass index, smoking, comorbidities, health care use, glucocorticoids, and osteoporosis treatments. We estimated incidence rates and adjusted hazard ratios for fracture. Sensitivity analyses excluded patients prescribed glucocorticoids, patients prescribed osteoporosis treatments, or patients with rheumatoid arthritis and additionally adjusted for chronic kidney disease. RESULTS: We identified 1,148 patients with acute CPP crystal arthritis matched to 3,730 comparators, with a mean age of 73 years. Glucocorticoids and osteoporosis treatments were more frequent in the acute CPP crystal arthritis cohort. Fracture incidence rates were twice as high in the acute CPP crystal arthritis cohort (11.7 per 1,000 person-years) versus comparators (5.5 per 1,000 person-years). After multivariable adjustment, fracture relative risk was twice as high in the acute CPP crystal arthritis cohort (hazard ratio 1.8 [95% confidence interval 1.3-2.3]); results were similar in sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: In this first published study of fractures and CPPD, fracture risk was nearly doubled in patients with acute CPP crystal arthritis.

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome presenting with ventricular bigeminy.

The is a case of a 28-year-old male presenting to an emergency department (ED) via emergency medical services (EMS) with a chief complaint of "gastritis." He was noted to have bigeminy on the pre-arrival EMS electrocardiogram. He was ultimately diagnosed with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). CHS is becoming an exceedingly common emergency department presentation due to the poorly regulated but widespread availability of cannabis products. The authors discuss a case of CHS and ventricular bigeminy.

Stercoral Colitis Secondary to Opiate-Induced Constipation.

The authors present the case of a 62-year-old woman who had stercoral colitis secondary to opiate use for rheumatoid arthritis leading to chronic constipation. Computed tomography imaging demonstrated stool along a significant length of the colon. Stercoral colitis is a seldom suspected cause of severe abdominal pain. Although constipation may seem benign, when it gets to the level of a stercoral colitis, mortality due to colonic perforation is a very real concern. The authors review the presentation, risk factors, and management of stercoral colitis.

Bilateral Maxillary and Mandibular Periapical Abscesses.

Odontogenic infections commonly arise from poor dental hygiene that forms dental caries, which can eventually progress to gingivitis and periodontitis. The authors present a case of facial swelling diagnosed as a periapical abscess with soft tissue swelling that extended into both the maxilla and mandible.

Sex-Based Differences in the Presentation of Myocardial Infarction.

The authors report a case of a middle-aged female presenting with a chief complaint of shoulder pain. Workup revealed a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The typical symptoms of myocardial infarction and the evaluation of a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction are discussed. The authors highlight the sex-based differences in the presentation of myocardial infarction and remind us to keep a broad differential and consider atypical presentations.