A 37-year-old man presents with tophaceous deposits within the articular cartilage, synovium, tendons, tendon sheaths, pinnae, and the soft tissue on the extensor surface of the forearms. These clinical observations suggest the patient is suffering from which of the following disorders?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of tophaceous deposits in the described locations is characteristic of gout, which is caused by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals due to hyperuricemia.  Gout is characterized by elevated levels of uric acid in the blood and urine. Uric acid is the end product of purine catabolism and excess production results from a variety of metabolic abnormalities that lead to overproduction of purines via the de novo pathway. Uric acid is very insoluble and when generated in large amounts will precipitate as uric acid crystals in the joints of the extremities and in renal interstitial tissue. These deposits are gritty or sandy in nature and thus are termed tophaceous deposits.

A 37-Year-Old Man Presents with Tophaceous Deposits Within the Articular