GOUT Flashcards
Features of crystal arthritis
- Crystal Arthritis is the commonest cause of acute joint swelling
- Gout most common in men
- Pseudogout in women
- Easy to diagnose and treat
- Miserable for patients
Gout features
- Caused by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals within joint
- The immunological reaction initiated to try and remove them, leads to acute pain and swelling
- Only ‘Curable’ form of inflammatory arthritis
Epidemiology of gout
UK General Practice Research Database – prevalence 1.4% (1999)
7.3% of men aged >75yrs
Overall male : female ratio 5:1
Hyperuricaemia much more common – affects 15% population
Gout prevalence increases with age
Pathogenesis of Gout
Under exretion urate + overproduction urate >
Hyperuricaemia >
Crystal formation & shedding >
Synovial cells > Inflammatory response
What causes under excretion urate in gout
Genetics
Drugs
CKD
Diuretics
Lead toxicity
What causes overproduction of urate in gout
Diet
Alcohol
Metabolic proliferation
Obesity
Psoriasis
Purine rich diet
Causes of Gout
Alcohol - mostly beer
Red meat, shellfish, offal
Soft drifts
Psoriasis
Haematological malignancy
Essential risk factors for Gout
Renal impairment
Beer
Diuretics
Aspirin
Family History
Fructose
Elderly
Men
Impaired renal function
Clinical features of Gout
- Acute episodes
- Onset often at night
- Resolve spontaneously (quicker with treatment)
- Usually recur in a predictable pattern of joint involvement
Typical joints that gout affects
- 1st MTPJ 90%
- Midfoot, ankle, knee, wrist, elbow hand
- Periarticular involvement
- Olecranon bursitis
- Systemic features can occur
Differntial diagnosis for Gout
Septic Arthritis
Trauma
Pseudogout
Rheumatoid Arthritis
(Osteoarthritis!)
Investigations for Gout
FBC (expect raised WCC)
U+E
LFT if concern re alcohol
Serum Uric Acid (often normal during acute attack)
CRP
Xray if recurrent episodes or concern re sepsis
Joint aspiration
Joint X ray
4 clinical phases of gout
asymptomatic hyperuricemia,
acute/recurrent gout,
intercritical gout,
chronic tophaceous gout
Acute treatment of Gout
Explain the disease
Advice about lifestyle - alcohol diet weight loss fluid intake
NSAID (short course) unless:
Renal failure
Peptic Ulcer Disease
Some pts with asthma
Colchicine
500ug 2-3 times daily
Corticosteroids
Intra-articular
Oral - low dose (5-10mg short course)
Ice packs
Indication of chronic gout
- Recurrent attacks
- Evidence of tophi or chronic gouty arthritis
- Associated renal disease
- Normal serum Uric acid cannot be achieved by life-style
modifications