To define associations and causative factors in a musculotendinous pain syndrome occurring after kidney transplantation.
A case-control study was performed. Cases were identified clinically; transplant controls were matched for age, sex, date and type of transplant, and dialysis controls were matched for age, sex, and race.
All cases had enthesitis and five of seven later developed gouty arthritis. None of the controls had findings. The plasma uric acid was significantly greater in cases compared to both control groups.
A painful musculotendinous syndrome may occur after kidney transplantation. The development of gouty arthritis in five of the seven kidney transplant patients suffering from this syndrome and significant hyperuricemia compared with controls suggested an unusual pattern of gout arthropathy.