Gout is a clinical syndrome presenting with recurrent, painful arthritis caused by deposition of monosodium urate. Urate crystal deposits are usually detected in the synovial membranes, joint capsules, articular cartilage, and periarticular tissue, and, rarely, in extra-articular areas (1). Gouty patiniculitis is characterized by subcutaneous depositions of urate crystals with lobular panniculitis. We report here a case of this rare variant of gout, in a 47-year-old man who also showed characteristic depositions of crystals in the bone marrow.
CASE REPORTA 47-year-old man presented with skin-coloured to brownish subcutaneous nodules and plaques on both extremities, both hands, and the joints of the foot for 3^ years. He complained of pain, but denied pruritus or any other symptoms. He had had hypertension and had been treated with isosorbide-5-mononitrate 50 mg, daily for 10 years. In addition, he had undergone haemodialysis for end-stage renal disease for 8 years. He also underwent amputation of all of his toes due to thromboangitis obliterans 2 years previously. He had recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and took 100 \ig per day levothyroxine sodium (Synthyroxine®, Darim, Seoul, Korea). On physical examination, multiple, various sized, oval-to-linear, firm, fixed, subcutaneous papules, nodules, and plaques were found (Fig. 1). In addition, his skin showed a sclerotic appearance and his joints were not fully extendable. His red blood cell count was 2.32 X lO'/l and white blood cell count was 2.3 x lOVl, with 74.3% neutrophil segments, mild anaemia and neutropaenia. Blood urea nitrogen and uric acid levels were within normal limits (23 mg/dl and 4.2 mg/dl, respectively, upper normal limit 24 and 4.5 mg/dl, respectively). However, creatinine level was markedly elevated (4.6 mg/dl) and levels of iron and total iron-binding capacity were decreased (38 ng/dl and 95 |ig/dl, respectively). Other haematological and autoimmue markers, including antinuclear antibody, rheumatic factor, antimicrosomal antibody, and extractable nuclear antigen profiles, were not remarkable. A biopsy specimen showed that fine, needle-shaped. Fig.