OBJECTIVE To examine familial aggregation of gout and to estimate the heritability and environmental contributions to gout susceptibility in the general population. METHODS Using data from the National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database in Taiwan, we conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study of data collected from 22 643 748 beneficiaries of the NHI in 2004; among them 1 045 059 indi...

OBJECTIVE To elucidate the relationship, if any, between lipid abnormalities and apolipoprotein E (apo E) polymorphism, by investigating apo E phenotype and allele frequency. METHODS Fasting blood samples were taken for determination of apo E phenotype and serum lipids in 221 male patients with gout and 141 control male subjects. Apo E phenotype was determined by one dimensional flat gel isoe...

OBJECTIVE Little is known about the association between gout and socioeconomic status (SES). Inequalities in rheumatology provision associated with SES may need to be addressed by health care planners. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of gout and SES in the community at both the individual and area levels. METHODS Questionnaires were sent to all patients older than age ...

People who have gout may contend with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and women seem more vulnerable than men, according to a large population-based study. The researchers at Harvard Medical School analyzed data from gout patients, and from those without the disease, in the United Kingdom's Health Improvement Network (THIN) database. They found a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes among ...

INTRODUCTION Gout results from an innate immune response to monosodium urate (MSU) crystals deposited in joints. Increased very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) has been associated with gout. The apolipoprotein B (apo B), which is present on VLDL, regulates neutrophil response to MSU crystals and has been positively associated with gout. Furthermore, the gene (A1CF) encoding the complementation f...

BACKGROUND Acute gout attacks account for a substantial number of visits to the emergency department (ED). Our aim was to evaluate acute gout diagnosis and treatment at a University Hospital ED. METHODS Our study was a retrospective chart review of consecutive patients with a diagnosis of acute gout seen in the ED 1/01/2004 - 12/31/2010. We documented: demographics, clinical characteristics, ...

OBJECTIVE To determine the current prevalence of hyperuricaemia and gout in New Zealand Maori and Europeans for comparison with previous studies. METHODS 342 Maori and 315 European men and women aged 15 years and older were studied by personal interview and a musculoskeletal system examination. The 1977 ARA criteria for gout in a survey setting were used and serum uric acid was determined by ...

Study Design Case report. Objective The objective of this study is to report the occurrence of tophaceous gout in the lumbar spine. Methods Using a case report to illustrate the key points of gout in the spine, we provide a brief review of gout in the literature as it relates to its orthopedic and spinal manifestations as well as guidelines for management. Results This case report details the o...

OBJECTIVE To define the clinical characteristics of gout and determine if there were any genetic associations with gout in black South Africans. METHODS The records of 107 patients with gout seen over a five year period were retrospectively analysed. The HLA class I and class II antigens were studied in a prospective survey of 46 patients. RESULTS The male to female ratio was 6.6:1. The dia...

Previous studies indicated that gout is a risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to determine if patients with gout have an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE).We used the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database, a subset of the national insurance claim dataset, which enrolled 1 million Taiwanese to identify 57,981 patients with gout and 115,...