In a series of 100 patients dialysed for 3 months to 17 years destructive spondyloarthropathy was diagnosed in 11 cases. Lower cervical spine was involved in ten and dorsal spine in one. When compared to patients without arthropathy, spinal involvement was associated with longer duration of dialysis and greater prevalence of parathyroidectomy. The patients with destructive spondyloarthropathy were divided into two groups: Group 1, four patients, in whom arthropathy occurred within the first 41 months of dialysis, and Group 2, seven patients, in whom arthropathy occurred after 106 months of dialysis. Group 1 was associated with greater age, chondrocalcinosis (2 of 4), absence of overt osteoarticular bone defects, and absence of carpal-tunnel syndrome. Parathyroidectomy (PTx) was performed in one patient. Amyloidosis was not found in one patient who came to autopsy. Group 2 was associated with presence of shoulder pain (6 of 7), juxtaarticular bone cysts (6 of 7) and CTS (6 of 7), and absence of radiological chondrocalcinosis. PTx was performed in six of seven patients and amyloidosis was found in three. In conclusion, destructive spondyloarthropathy may be seen early in the course of dialysis, apart from general amyloid involvement of accelereted hyperparathyroidism. A specific finding of this study was the discovery of radiological chondrocalcinosis in association with early arthropathy, which is a well-recognised feature in non-uraemic subjects.