EDITORIAL

Why is gout so poorly managed?

Eliseo Pascual¹, Francisca Sivera²

¹ Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology), Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
² Staff Rheumatologist, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante, Spain

Correspondence to:
Professor Eliseo Pascual, Sección de Reumatología, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Maestro Alonso 109, 03010 Alicante, Spain; pascual_eli@gva.es

Accepted 9 July 2007

---

See linked article, p1311

---

Abbreviations: EULAR, European League Against Rheumatism; GP, general practitioner; MSU, monosodium urate; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; SUA, serum uric acid

Keywords: gout; monosodium urate crystals; quality of care

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Gout has been recognised since ancient times, and we currently have a deep understanding of its pathophysiology. The disease results from a deposit of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in joint structures and in other, generally periarticular, sites in the form of tophi. High serum uric acid (SUA) is required for the formation of these crystals. The most characteristic features of gout are acute attacks of joint inflammation, which frequently occur at the first metatarsophalangeal joint, although their occurrence in other joints and in bursae is also very common. Oligoarticular, polyarticular, and more protracted and lingering forms of the disease occur, and if untreated or poorly managed, the disease can become very persistent and disabling. Fortunately, we now have highly effective drugs enabling us to deal with gouty joint inflammation and to prevent their recurrence.¹ An unequivocal diagnosis can be obtained by identifying MSU crystals in joint fluid obtained either during . . . [Full text of this article]

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Concordance of the management of chronic gout in a UK primary-care population with the EULAR gout recommendations

Edward Roddy, Weiya Zhang, and Michael Doherty
Ann Rheum Dis 2007 66: 1311-1315. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• BARBER, C., THOMPSON, K., HANLY, J. G. (2009). Impact of a Rheumatology Consultation Service on the Diagnostic Accuracy and Management of Gout in Hospitalized Patients. The Journal of Rheumatology 36: 1699-1704 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• KIM, S. Y., CHOI, H. K. (2009). Gout and Quality of Life. The Journal of Rheumatology 36: 865-868 [Full Text]  
• HANLY, J. G., SKEDGEL, C., SKETRIS, I., COOKE, C., LINEHAN, T., THOMPSON, K., van ZANTEN, S. V. (2009). Gout in the Elderly -- A Population Health Study. The Journal of Rheumatology 36: 822-830 [Abstract] [Full Text]