Prevention of Comorbidity and Acute Attack of Gout by Uric Acid Lowering Therapy

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science Vol. 29; no. 5; pp. 657 - 661
• Main Authors: Joo, Kowoon, Kwon, Seong-Ryul, Lim, Mie-Jin, Jung, Kyong-Hee, Joo, Hoyeon, Park, Won
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences 01.05.2014; 대한의학회
• Subjects: Adult; Allopurinol - therapeutic use; Antimetabolites - therapeutic use; Benzbromarone - therapeutic use; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Comorbidity; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - prevention & control; Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Febuxostat; Female; Gout - drug therapy; Gout - prevention & control; Gout Suppressants - therapeutic use; Humans; Hypertension - epidemiology; Hypertension - prevention & control; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - epidemiology; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - prevention & control; Retrospective Studies; Thiazoles - therapeutic use; Uric Acid - blood; Uric Acid - metabolism; Uricosuric Agents - therapeutic use; Urolithiasis - epidemiology; Urolithiasis - prevention & control; 의학일반; Hypertension; Cardiovascular Diseases; Renal Insufficiency; Urolithiasis; Comorbidity; Allopurinol; Gout; Diabetes Mellitus
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357; 1598-6357
• DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2014.29.5.657

The object of this study was to evaluate the effect of uric acid lowering therapy in reducing the new development of comorbidities and the frequency of acute attacks in gout patients. We retrospectively reviewed patients who were diagnosed to have gout with at least 3 yr of follow up. They were divided into 2 groups; 53 patients with mean serum uric acid level (sUA)<6 mg/dL and 147 patients with mean sUA≥6 mg/dL. Comorbidities of gout such as hypertension (HTN), type II diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and urolithiasis were compared in each group at baseline and at last follow-up visit. Frequency of acute gout attacks were also compared between the groups. During the mean follow up period of 7.6 yr, the yearly rate of acute attack and the new development of HTN, DM, CVD and urolithiasis was lower in the adequately treated group compared to the inadequately treated group. Tight control of uric acid decreases the incidence of acute gout attacks and comorbidities of gout such as HTN, DM, CVD and urolithiasis.