Risk factors for gouty dactylitis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the risk factors associated with dactylitis in gout. METHODS The questionnaires of 73 consecutive gouty patients, diagnosed according to the ACR criteria, were reviewed. They were consecutively screened for the presence of dactylitis. RESULTS Seven out of 73 (9.6%) patients showed dactylitis. They had (1) longer disease duration, (2) a higher number of involved joints, (3) higher serum uric acid concentration, (4) more tophi, (5) higher ESR, and (6) a higher number of ACR criteria besides crystal identification, than the others. By logistic regression, renal stones (OR 13.3, 95% CI 1.1-158.3), upper extremity involvement (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.4-16.6), number of ACR criteria (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.3), and ESR (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1-1.04), significantly predicted dactylitis. CONCLUSIONS Dactylitis is a feature of gout representing an indicator of disease severity.