7 Interesting Facts of Gout
1. Gout is the most common cause of inflammatory arthritis.
2. Gout is rare in men aged <25 years and in premenopausal women.
3. Hyperuricemia is a necessary, but not sufficient, risk factor in gout development.
4. Hyperuricemia and gout are strongly associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome.
5. Dietary and lifestyle modifications are recommended for the management of gout, although in isolation are not often sufficiently effective in lowering serum urate.
6. Always look for gout in undiagnosed joint conditions even if the serum urate level is normal, as joint involvement can by atypical, polyarticular and cause chronic symptoms.
7. Assess the patient’s comorbid medical conditions including renal and hepatic function to guide the safest treatment options for gout flare and associated hyperuricemia, with a goal serum uric acid <6.0 mg/dL (or <5.0 mg/dL for patients with tophi).
