Latest news with #gout
Medscape
03-06-2025
- General
- Medscape
5 Things You Need to Know When Treating Gout
Welcome to Rheum With a Viewpoint . My name is Dr Arinola Dada, and I've been practicing rheumatology for 20 years. Let's talk about five things you need to know when you're treating patients with gout. 1. Your patients have been taking anti-inflammatory medications when you were not looking. It's possible that your patients may have some kidney damage, so when they call you on Saturday night to report an acute attack of gout and your first instinct is to order indomethacin, take a pause and consider trying something else. My go-to medication is prednisone. 2. How much prednisone should you give your patient? The secret in the world of rheumatology is to go slow. You can start with 40 mg/d of prednisone for 4 days, then taper down to 30 mg/d for 4 days, then 20 mg/d for 4 days, and continue to reduce in that fashion. That secret sauce is going to help you treat your patient's acute gout. 3. When should you start allopurinol? You should not start allopurinol during an acute attack. Remember, allopurinol does not treat acute attacks. Allopurinol is there to help lower uric acid levels in the blood. It's useful for prevention and management, but you want to start allopurinol after an acute attack of gout has settled. If the patient is already on allopurinol, they can continue taking their medication without adjusting the dose. Simply treat the acute attack. 4. Women tend to get tophi in their fingers. You may want to look closely if you have a female patient with suspected gout. Patients report that this acute pain feels like somebody smashed their finger with a hammer. That kind of complaint would give you insight that your female patient may actually be experiencing gout in her DIP joints or inside her Heberden nodes. 5. Remember that when patients have tophi, they may not be able to feel it. Talk to your local radiologist to see if you can order a dual-energy CT (DECT) scan. It really helps differentiate between gout and pseudogout.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctors issue warning over mystery rise of young, fit women with crippling medieval condition
Looking at these women — with their slim waists and active lifestyles — you'd never guess they're battling a disease once reserved for overweight, wine-guzzling aristocrats. But gout, the crippling condition historically dubbed the 'disease of kings', is making a shocking comeback — and this time, it's hitting a very different crowd. Since 1990, rates have increased by more than 63% globally, linked to rising obesity rates and more availability of rich foods. Around 8.3million Americans have gout. But while overweight, beer-drinking men in their fifties are still most at risk, a new high risk group has emerged. A growing number of young, seemingly healthy women have spoken out about how they have been left crippled by the ailment, with searing pain and swollen joints. Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid in the body. This excess forms razor-sharp crystals that lodge in the joints, triggering sudden, intense pain — often in the big toe. The body releases uric acid when it breaks down certain foods like rich red and organ meat, seafood, alcohol and sugary drinks. Los Angeles based actress Avery Norris also is not a typically candidate for gout, with a slim physique and active lifestyle. She got the condition when she was 22 years old Your browser does not support iframes. So what's behind the mysterious surge in young women getting a disease that once plagued the palace? Dr Heather Viola, an internist at Mount Sinai in New York, says the rise is 'multifactorial', blaming modern diet and lifestyle shifts. 'More people than ever consume high amounts of sugary drinks like soda and juice sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup,' she tells 'These sugars increase uric acid production, a key player in gout.' Add to that the Western diet's love for red meat, seafood, and processed food, and you have a perfect storm. Dr Viola says that hormonal changes also put women at greater risk of gout. During menopause estrogen levels decline. 'This hormone plays a protective role by enhancing excretion of uric acid through the kidneys, so with less of it to play with, there's more chances of gout occurring,' she explains. One study found that women who have never given birth or been pregnant have double the odds of reaching the menopause before the age of 40, compared to those who have been pregnant. With more and more women in the US saying no to motherhood, there could be a link between more women experiencing early menopause and a growth in those contracting gout. Rising rates of obesity among young adults also interfere with how the body handles uric acid. Samantha Pearlman, a realtor from Atlanta, says she was blindsided when she was diagnosed with gout at 40. Mary Fran Emerson from Atlanta is another young woman battling gout and she joked that she asked her husband to chop her foot off because the pain was so intense Samantha Pearlman, a realtor from Atlanta, says she was shocked when she was diagnosed with the condition at 40 It started with shooting pain in her left toe one night. There was no injury, no bite, nothing obvious — but the pain was intense. At urgent care, she was told it was gout. In a TikTok video, she admitted: 'I guess I feel ignorant because I didn't even think about gout... no sign of injury, nothing with the toenail, no signs of a bite... It's one sided, not the other.' She was given a steroid shot and prescription meds — but also a new reality to face. 'I feel kind of silly,' she says. 'I didn't even know gout was a thing anymore. 'I feel like the little bit I learned about gout when I was younger was that it was like an old-time disease... from like 75 to 100 years ago. 'I'm not the typical patient… it's usually middle-aged men with a horrible diet, who drink a lot of beer and are overweight and that's clearly not me.' 'I'm not even overweight anymore. I recently lost 75 pounds and I eat fairly healthy. So I don't even know how I got gout to be honest with you.' Los Angeles-based actress Avery Norris was just 22 when she was diagnosed — also far from the stereotypical patient. She lives a healthy lifestyle and maintains a slim figure. But she also has type 2 diabetes, which studies show increases gout risk due to insulin resistance and higher uric acid levels. When a flare hits, she says she's down for one to two weeks and often unable to walk. To manage the condition, she takes medication and avoids red meat. Meanwhile, Mary Fran Emerson from Atlanta says her gout pain was so unbearable at one point she joked about asking her husband to chop her foot off. She doesn't drink heavily, eats well, and still couldn't believe her diagnosis. Dr Heather Viola, who is based out of Mount Sinai in New York, told that the spike among young women is 'multifactorial'. She says sugary soda is one factor to blame, along with the rise of processed foods While the big toe is still the most common target, Dr Viola says gout can strike ankles, knees, fingers, wrists, and elbows, and sometimes multiple joints at once. 'It may become chronic, leading to long-term joint damage if untreated… the pain and inflammation can be intense and debilitating.' Attacks usually peak within 12 to 24 hours, and can leave patients barely able to walk. Anti-inflammatory drug can be prescribed to help lessen the symptoms, while steroid injections offer rapid pain relief. To reduce risk, experts advise cutting back on sugary drinks and processed foods — and keeping a healthy weight. Because these days, gout doesn't care what you look like — and even the fittest bodies aren't immune to the 'disease of kings.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Atom Therapeutics Joins Gout Education Society on Gout Awareness Day, May 22, to Help Educate the Public on Risk Factors and Treatment Options for This Growing Disease
Atom's lead drug, lingdolinurad (ABP-671) is in Phase 2b/3 trials for chronic gout and hyperuricemia ZHEJIANG, China, May 22, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis: More than 12 million Americans suffer from the disease, and this number continues to rise. But in addition to being prevalent, serious and extremely painful, gout is also widely misunderstood by the public. May 22 marks Gout Awareness Day—a day set aside each year since 2006 to educate on the severity of gout and encourage proper diagnosis and treatment. The need to keep this disease top-of-mind remains strong, notes N. Lawrence Edwards, MD, MACP, MACR, chairman of the non-profit Gout Education Society, which founded Gout Awareness Day 19 years ago. "Gout is a serious condition that can lead to permanent joint damage if left untreated. By raising awareness, we hope to encourage individuals to seek proper treatment and manage their condition effectively," he explained. "While this is a priority for the Gout Education Society each and every day, Gout Awareness Day enables us to join with like-minded individuals and organizations to advocate for better quality of life for patients and their families through education and awareness." Dr. William Shi, Founder, CEO and Chairman of Atom Therapeutics, which is developing new therapies to address gout, echoed Dr. Edwards' comments: "Over the last 30 years, the percentage of people developing gout has been steadily rising, yet many don't understand their disease. Furthermore, only one in three report taking their daily medications as prescribed to lower uric acid levels. We support the Gout Education Society's efforts to improve the quality of care and minimize the burden of gout." Gout is caused by elevated uric acid levels. Over time, uric acid can accumulate and form crystals in the joints and other tissues—leading to painful flares. Untreated, gout can lead to permanent bone, joint and tissue damage, and other serious health issues, including kidney disease, heart disease and diabetes. In conjunction with Gout Awareness Day, the Gout Education Society and Atom Therapeutics urge gout sufferers to learn more about the disease, seek immediate treatment and take ongoing steps to manage gout—with the most important step being to check uric acid levels every six months and aim for a healthy target of 6.0 mg/dL or below. While uric acid-lowering medications are typically needed to control gout and reduce future risks, those with gout should also make lifestyle changes—which includes following a healthy and balanced diet. About Atom Therapeutics Atom Therapeutics Ltd. is a fast-growing innovative drug company focused on the development of best in class small molecule therapeutics for treatment of inflammatory and metabolic diseases. The company's lead product, lingdolinurad (ABP-671), is in late-stage clinical development for treatment of chronic gout. Another small molecule ABP-745, for anti-inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, has completed Phase 1 clinical trials in the US and demonstrated good pharmacokinetics and safety, and has initiated Phase 2 clinical trial. For more information please visit: View source version on Contacts Media contactDaniel EramianOpus Biotech Communications425-306-8716
