The disorder is more common in older adults. The disease is often occult until crystal deposits are coincidentally detected and diagnosed by a pathologist in various orthopedic specimens. It may be asymptomatic, or it can be associated with osteoarthritis, or it can present as an acute or chronic inflammatory arthritis that causes pain in one or more joints. The white blood cell count is often raised.

The arthritis is usually polyarticular (i.e., it leads to an inflammation of several joints in the body), although it may begin as monoarticular (i.e., confined to just one joint). CPPD crystals tend to form within articular tissues. In theory, any joint may be affected, but statistics show that the knees are the most commonly affected joints, as well as wrists and hips.

In many instances, patients may also have signs of carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition can also be associated with Milwaukee shoulder syndrome.

An arthropathy is a disease of a joint. Arthritis is a form of arthropathy that involves inflammation of one or more joints, while the term arthropathy may be used regardless of whether there is inflammation or not.

Spondylarthropathy is any form of arthropathy of the vertebral column.

Arthropathy may also include joint conditions caused by physical trauma to joints, but is traditionally used to describe the following conditions:

- "Reactive arthropathy" (M02-M03) is caused by an infection, but not a direct infection of the synovial space. (See also Reactive arthritis)

- "Enteropathic arthropathy" (M07) is caused by colitis and related conditions.

- "Crystal arthropathy" (also known as "crystal arthritis") (M10-M11) involves the deposition of crystals in the joint.

- In gout, the crystal is uric acid.

- In pseudogout/chondrocalcinosis/calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease, the crystal is calcium pyrophosphate.

- "Diabetic arthropathy" (M14.2, E10-E14) is caused by diabetes.

- "Neuropathic arthropathy" (M14.6) is associated with a loss of .

Clinical findings include erythema, edema and increased temperature in the affected joint. In neuropathic foot joints, plantar ulcers may be present. Note that it is often difficult to differentiate osteomyelitis from a Charcot joint, as they may have similar tagged WBC scan and MRI features (joint destruction, dislocation, edema). Definitive diagnosis may require bone or synovial biopsy.

Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal deposition disease, also known as pseudogout and pyrophosphate arthropathy is a rheumatologic disorder with varied symptoms and signs arising from the resultant accumulation of crystals of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate in the connective tissues. The alternative names emphasize particular aspects of the clinical or radiographic findings. The knee joint is the most commonly affected.

The clinical presentation varies depending on the stage of the disease from mild swelling to severe swelling and moderate deformity. Inflammation, erythema, pain and increased skin temperature (3–7 degrees Celsius) around the joint may be noticeable on examination. X-rays may reveal bone resorption and degenerative changes in the joint. These findings in the presence of intact skin and loss of protective sensation are pathognomonic of acute Charcot arthropathy.

Roughly 75% of patients experience pain, but it is less than what would be expected based on the severity of the clinical and radiographic findings.

For a person with arthritis mutilans in the hands, the fingers become shortened by arthritis, and the shortening may become severe enough that the hand looks paw-like, with the first deformity occurring at the interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints. The excess skin from the shortening of the phalanx bones becomes folded transversely, as if retracted into one another like opera glasses, hence the description "la main en lorgnette". As the condition worsens, luxation, phalangeal and metacarpal bone absorption, and skeletal architecture loss in the fingers occurs.

Individuals affected by RS3PE typically have repeated episodes of inflammation of the lining of their synovial joints and swelling of the end portion of the limbs. The arms and hands are more commonly affected than the legs and feet. Both sides are usually involved though RS3PE can affect only one side in certain cases.

Enthesitis can assist in differentiating arthritis mutilans' parent condition psoriatic arthritis from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, with evidence in plain radiographs (x-rays) and MRI as periostitis, new bone formation, and bone erosions. Dactylitis, spondylitis and sacroiliitis are common with the parent condition psoriatic arthritis, but are not in rheumatoid arthritis. MRI bone edema scores are high in arthritis mutilans and correlate with radiographic measures of joint damage, although they may not correlate with disease activity. A source of significant pain, bone marrow edema (or lesions, using newer terminology), can be detected on MRI or with ultrasonography by signals of excessive water in bone marrow. Specifically, bone marrow edema can be detected within bone on T1-weighted images as poorly defined areas of low signal, with a high signal on T2-weighted fat-suppressed images. Comparatively, with arthritis mutilans in "rheumatoid arthritis", bone marrow edema often involves the bone layer, while the condition as a subtype of "psoriatic arthritis" includes a greater extent of marrow edema, expanding to diaphysis.

Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (abbreviated RS3PE or sometimes RSPE) is a rare syndrome identified by symmetric polyarthritis, synovitis, acute pitting edema (swelling) of the back of the hands and/or feet, and a negative serum rheumatoid factor. If no underlying disorder can be identified (idiopathic RS3PE), this entity has an excellent prognosis and responds well to treatment.

RS3PE typically involves the joints of the extremities, specifically the metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints, wrists, shoulders, elbows, knees and ankles.

It is more common in older adults, with the mean age between 70 and 80 years in most studies.

It occurs more often in men than in women with a 2:1 ratio.

It is unknown how common this condition is.

Symptoms of inflammatory arthritis include stiffness, pain, and swelling of the joints, restricted motions, and reduced physical strength. Other symptoms may include systemic complaints including fatigue.

Treatments for inflammatory arthritis vary by subtype, though they may include drugs like DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors.

Jaccoud arthropathy (JA), Jaccoud deformity or Jaccoud's arthopathy is a chronic non-erosive reversible joint disorder that may occur after repeated bouts of arthritis. It is caused by inflammation of the joint capsule and subsequent fibrotic retraction, causing ulnar deviation of the fingers, through metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) subluxation, primarily of the ring and little-finger. Joints in the feet, knees and shoulders may also get affected. It is commonly associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and occurs in roughly 5% of all cases.

When associated with rheumatic fever it is also called chronic post–RF arthropathy.

Originally thought to be associated only with rheumatic fever, it has since been shown to occur also in SLE, Sjögren syndrome, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, psoriatic arthritis, vasculitis, ankylosing spondylitis, mixed connective tissue disease, and pyrophosphate deposition disease. It is distinct from bone erosion which is commonly associated with rheumatic arthritis, and also distinct from mild deforming arthropathy which is associated with SLE. There have also been cases of non-rheumatic JA associated with Lyme disease, HIV-infection and a number of other conditions.

Treatment focuses toward alleviating pain and in maintaining functionality of the affected joints through use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, antimalarial drugs and physiotherapy. Surgery is also a possibility, with osteotomy or stabilization with Kirschner intramedullary wire. Tendon relocation, however, has been shown to only work in 30% of cases. The condition is named after the French 19th century physician Sigismond Jaccoud.

Enteropathic arthropathy or enteropathic arthritis refers to acute or subacute arthritis in association with, or as a reaction to, an enteric (usually colonic) inflammatory condition.

Symptoms of Winchester syndrome begin with the deterioration of bone within the hands and feet. This loss of bone causes pain and limited mobility. The abnormalities of the bone spread to other areas of the body, mostly the joints. This causes arthropathy: stiffening of the joints (contractures) and swollen joints. Many people develop osteopenia and osteoporosis throughout their entire body. Due to the damage to the bones, many affected individuals suffer from short stature and bone fractures.

Many individuals experience leathery skin where the skin appears dark and thick. Excessive hair growth is known to be found in these darker areas of the skin (hypertrichosis). The eyes may develop a white or clear covering the cornea (corneal opacities) which can cause problems with vision.

Winchester syndrome is a rare congenital connective tissue disease described in 1969, of which the main characteristics are short stature, marked contractures of joints, opacities in the cornea, coarse facial features, dissolution of the carpal and tarsal bones (in the hands and feet, respectively), and osteoporosis. Winchester syndrome was once considered to be related to a similar condition, multicentric osteolysis, nodulosis, and arthropathy (MONA). However, it was discovered that the two are caused by mutations found in different genes; they are now thought of as two separate disorders. Appearances resemble rheumatoid arthritis. Increased uronic acid is demonstrated in cultured fibroblasts from the skin and to a lesser degree in both parents. Despite initial tests not showing increased mucopolysaccharide excretion, the disease was regarded as a mucopolysaccharidosis. Winchester syndrome is thought to be inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.

Note that reactive arthritis can also occur secondary to urethral infection. In that case, the term enteropathic arthropathy would not be used.

Patients with trochleitis typically experience a dull fluctuating aching over the trochlear region developing over a few days. Some may also feel occasional sharp pains punctuating the ache. In patients with migraines, trochleitis may occur simultaneously with headache. Presentation is usually unilateral with palpable swelling over the affected area supranasal to the eye. The trochlear region is extremely tender to touch. Pain is exacerbated by eye movements looking down and inwards, and especially in supraduction (looking up) and looking outwards, which stretches the superior oblique muscle tendon. Notably, there is no restriction of extraocular movements, no diplopia, and often no apparent ocular signs such as proptosis. However, occasionally mild ptosis is found. The absence of generalized signs of orbital involvement is helpful in eliminating other more common causes of periorbital pain.

Symptom may include pain in a specific bone with overlying redness, fever, and weakness. Onset may be sudden or gradual.

Hemarthrosis (or haemarthrosis) is a bleeding into joint spaces.

It is a common feature of Hemophilia.

Acroosteolysis is resorption of the distal bony phalanges. Acroosteolysis has two patterns of resorption in adults: diffuse and bandlike.

The diffuse pattern of resorption has a widely diverse differential diagnosis which includes: pyknodysostosis, collagen vascular disease and vasculitis, Raynaud's neuropathy, trauma, epidermolysis bullosa, psoriasis, frostbite, sarcoidosis, hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, acromegaly, and advanced leprosy.

The bandlike pattern of resorption may be seen with polyvinyl chloride exposure and Hadju-Cheney syndrome.

A mnemonic commonly used for acro-osteolysis is PINCHFO.

Pyknodysostosis, Psoriasis,

Injury (thermal burn, frostbite),

Neuropathy (diabetes),

Collagen vascular disease (scleroderma, Raynaud's),

Hyperparathyroidism,

Familial (Hadju-Cheney, progeria),

Occupational (polyvinyl exposure),

Acroosteolysis may be associated with minimal skin changes or with ischemic skin lesions that may result in digital necrosis.

The cause of trochleitis is often unknown (idiopathic trochleitis), but it has been known to occur in patients with rheumatological diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, enteropathic arthropathy, and psoriasis. In his study, Tychsen and his group evaluated trochleitis patients with echography and CT scan to demonstrate swelling and inflammation. Imaging studies showed inflammation of superior oblique tendon/ trochlear pulley. It was unclear whether the inflammation involved the trochlea itself, or the tissues surrounding the trochlea.

It usually follows injury but occurs mainly in patients with a predisposition to hemorrhage such as those being treated with warfarin (or other anticoagulants) and patients with hemophilia.

It can be associated with knee joint arthroplasty.

It has also been reported as a part of hemorrhagic syndrome in the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, suggesting a viral cause to the bleeding in a joint space.

This disorder is characterized by a reduction and loss of subcutaneous fat and collagen of the hands and feet, above all. It can be defined it as a mild, nonprogressive, congenital form of premature skin senility due to the disappearance of the fatty tissue directly under the skin.

More precisely, skin lesions deal with large, fixed, geographic and symmetrical fine scaly recessive erythematous plaques distributed over the dorsal side of distal extremities. Skin lesions can be associated with osteoarticular alterations.

Other outcomes and observations may include abnormally small hands and feet with unusually prominent veins on the upper trunk (chest), short stature, and, sometimes, abnormally small jaw (micrognathia). Most of the cases analyzed show atrophy of the skin at the tip of the nose, which gives a sculptural appearance.The nails may be dystrophic or thick, but, most of the time, they are normal.

In the skin histopathology, there is atrophy of the dermis and subcutaneum. The collagen fibers are loose and dispersed, and the elastic fibers are always fragmented.

However, the epidermis is not affected.

Although some patients present clinical features similar to those of progeria and metageria, they do not usually show generalized atherosclerosis. Therefore, they do not usually have premature myocardic or coronary disease.

TNF receptor associated periodic syndrome presents with the following signs and symptoms:

- Episodic fever

- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate(increased)

- Pericarditis

- Splenomegaly

- Uveitis

- Vertigo