Recent advances in understanding and managing gout

F1000Res. 2017 Mar 10;6:247. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.9402.1. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Gout is the most common crystal arthropathy and the leading cause of inflammatory arthritis. It is associated with functional impairment and, for many, a diminished health-related quality of life. Numerous studies have demonstrated the impact of gout and its associated conditions on patient morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, gout remains under-diagnosed and under-treated in the general community. Despite major advances in treatment strategies, as many as 90% of patients with gout are poorly controlled or improperly managed and their hyperuricemia and recurrent flares continue. The introduction of novel urate-lowering therapies, new imaging modalities, and a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of gout raise the possibility of better gout care and improved patient outcomes. Here, we spotlight recent advances in the diagnosis and management of gout and discuss novel therapeutics in gout treatment.

Keywords: gout; gout treatment; urate-lowering therapy.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

TFI was supported in part by a travel scholarship from Monash University. SK was supported in part by an Investigator Award from the Rheumatology Research Foundation and by a New York State Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program award. MHP receives salary support from NYU CTSA grant 1UL1TR001445 from the National Center for the Advancement of Translational Science, National Institutes of Health.