Physiology in Medicine: a Series of Articles Linking Medicine with Science

Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that is triggered by the crystallization of uric acid within the joints and is often associated with hyperuricemia (Figure 1). Acute gout is typically intermittent, constituting one of the most painful conditions experienced by humans. Chronic tophaceous gout usually develops after years of acute intermittent gout, although tophi occasionally can be part of the initial presentation. In addition to the morbidity that is attributable to gout itself, the disease is associated with such conditions as the insulin resistance syndrome, hypertension, nephropathy, and disorders associated with increased cell turnover (1, 2). The overall disease burden of gout remains substantial and may be increasing. The prevalence of self-reported, physician-diagnosed gout in the Third National Health