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Rheumatologist
Rheumatologist
Family Medicine
Rheumatology
Family Medicine
Gout is caused by the deposition of salt crystals in the joint spaces. These include monosodium urate and calcium pyrophosphate crystals. Deposition of crystals is always due to elevated levels of uric acid in the body. Uric acid precipitates and forms these crystals deposited in different body areas, particularly in the joint spaces where they react with joint tissue and cause gout. Reasons for elevated uric acid levels could be primary or secondary.
Primary reasons are concerned with overproduction and under excretion of uric acid in the body. These include genetic disorders such as Lesch-Nyhan syndrome and Glucose-6-Phosphate (G6PD) deficiency.
A Secondary increase in uric acid levels could be due to alcohol, dietary influences, metabolic disorders, other illnesses, and drugs that cause hyperuricemia. These include hypertension, anemia, diabetes mellitus, renal insufficiency, elevated levels of cholesterol, etc.
Crystal induced arthropathies (disease of joints due to crystals) are classified into two types:
The worldwide incidence of the disease varies depending upon eating habits, environmental and genetic factors.
It is more common in males than in females. This is because estrogens can have a mild effect of causing excretion of uric acid from the body. Its incidence increases in postmenopausal women.
Populations in which genetic predisposition for diseases like Lesh-Nyhan syndrome and G6PD deficiency are more prone to developing gout.
Following are the signs and symptoms of gout:
Complications of gout include the following:
Following investigations aid in the diagnosis of gout:
Differential diagnoses of gout include:
The purpose of treatment against gout is to:
In the acute phase, the following painkillers are used:
Long-term management of gout focuses on lowering uric acid levels in the body. Medications used for this purpose include:
With proper compliance to treatment and dietary modifications, the prognosis for acute gout is excellent. In the case of chronic gout, long-term therapy may be indicated. With chronic gout, the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke also increase.
Our clinical experts continually monitor the health and medical content posted on CURA4U, and we update our blogs and articles when new information becomes available. Last reviewed by Dr.Saad Zia on May 07, 2023.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gout/symptoms-causes/syc-20372897
Gout is a joint disease characterized by intense joint pain, redness, and swelling, particularly in the big toes where crystal deposition causes small areas of swelling known as tophi. Gout is a painful inflammatory arthritis that affects many people. It is usually caused by an excess of uric acid in the body. Typically, it only affects one joint at a time (often the big toe joint), but ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers, and elbows can all be affected. There are periods when symptoms worsen, referred to as flares, and when there are no symptoms, referred to as remission. Gouty arthritis, a worsening form of arthritis, can develop due to repeated bouts of gout. Gout has no cure, although it can be effectively treated and managed with medications and self-management strategies.