Urate-Lowering Therapy Curbs Gout Attacks

Treatment with drugs that reduce levels of urate in the blood leads to a significant reduction in gouty arthritis attacks, according to Japanese researchers.

Treatment with drugs that reduce levels of urate in the blood leads to a significant reduction in gouty arthritis attacks, according to Japanese researchers.Gout is caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. The condition can flare up periodically, causing extreme pain.Dr. Hisashi Yamanaka and colleagues at Tokyo Women’s Medical University note in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism that urate-lowering drugs are known to improve the long-term prognosis of gout. However, the researchers point out that it is unclear whether the frequency of attacks is reduced.To investigate, the team studied 267 patients who had had at least one gout attack before visiting their clinic. The participants were followed for up to three years.After accounting for initial urate concentrations and the number of previous attacks, the investigators found that a reduction in urate levels and the use of urate-lowering drugs reduced the frequency of gout attacks.From their data, the team concludes that reduction of urate concentrations to 6 milligrams per deciliter or lower “will eventually result in a reduced frequency or prevention of future gouty attacks.”(Source: Reuters, Arthritis and Rheumatism, July, 2004)