Gout Attacks

Gobble, Gobble: Important Tips for Managing Gout During Holiday Meals

Thanksgiving 2014 was a typical family gathering—overflowing with delicious food and joyful festivities. Yet, as I settled into a food coma, I couldn’t shake the anxiety creeping up behind the indulgence: What had I just done to myself?

As someone living with gout, these moments of overeating often leave me with that dreaded question: Was it worth it? With each bite, I know the risks—sudden flare-ups of excruciating pain that could have me confined to my bed for days. Is there any way to avoid this nightmare this time?

Gut Health and Uric Acid Connection

Gut health plays an important role in controlling gout, primarily because it influences how your body processes and excretes uric acid, which is the substance responsible for gout. Gout is a form of arthritis that occurs when uric acid builds up in the bloodstream and forms crystals in the joints, causing painful inflammation. The connection between gut health and gout is multi-faceted, involving digestion, inflammation, and even the balance of gut microbiota.

Here’s how gut health can influence gout control:

Is there a Global Gout Burden? Check out the latest study…..

According to a study published in The Lancet Rheumatology, gout cases are projected to increase by over 70% by 2050. This underscores the urgent need for effective management and prevention strategies.

To address both current and future demands, it is essential to analyze the burden of gout by age and sex and make future projections. Researchers used data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) covering 1990 to 2020 to evaluate global, regional, and national prevalence trends and to predict future prevalence up to 2050.

Occurrence of Gout in Rheumatoid Arthritis: It Does Happen!

A Population-Based Study

International Journal of Clinical Rheumatology

Adlene J Jebakumar; Prabhu D Udayakumar; Cynthia S Crowson; Eric L Matteson

Int J Clin Rheumatol. 2013;8(4):433-437

Discussion

The co-occurrence of gout and RA is rarely reported. In addition to the widespread belief that gout and RA do not, or rarely, coexist in the same patient, it can be difficult to clinically differentiate RA from polyarticular tophaceous gout especially when gout involves the hands. Only 33 cases with coexisting RA and gout have been reported in the English literature prior to this study. These include a report of eight cases of coexisting RA and gout between 1994 and 2005 at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Taiwan); this report also included the features of 24 previously reported similar cases in the English literature.^[8] A further case with coexisting chronic gout and RA was reported in 2007.^[9] Of these 33 previously reported cases, 23 had gout preceding the diagnosis of RA, whereas in our study, only six out of 22 patients had a diagnosis of gout prior to incidence of RA.^[8,9] All the previously reported cases of coexisting gout and RA had microscopic evidence of monosodium urate crystals in the synovial fluid or tophus. Rheumatoid factor was present in 24 out of the 33 previously reported cases compared with 14 out of 22 cases in our study. There was predominance of males, with 23 out of the 33 previously reported cases affecting men similar to our findings.^[8,9]

High Waist Circumference and Increased Lipid Levels Predictive of Unfavorable Gout Outcomes Over 2 Years

Hibah Khaja, PharmD | January 17, 2024

Anthropometric measures remained stable over a 2-year period among patients actively treated for gout, while lipid levels showed a decrease. After 2 years, high waist circumference and lipid levels were associated with unfavorable gout outcomes.

Anthropometric measures remained stable over a 2-year period among patients actively treated for gout, while lipid levels showed a decrease. After 2 years, high waist circumference (WC) and lipid levels were associated with unfavorable gout outcomes, according to study results published in Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases Open.

Experts on how water intake affects uric acid levels in the body

Story by Lifestyle Desk

Here’s what to know about uric acid levels and kidney function:

A less commonly spoken health risk among those associated with lack of adequate water intake is less uric acid levels in the body. Notably, while uric acid is a waste product, produced during the breakdown of various foods and drinks, its production too affects your health.

“Normally, uric acid dissolves in the blood and is discarded by the kidneys through urine. But in some cases, the body produces excess uric acid or the kidney dysfunction doesn’t excrete the required amount of uric acid, resulting in hyperuricemia. Long-term hyperuricemia can lead to development of gout, a painful form of arthritis, or kidney stones,” Dr Avanish Arora, director – Urology and Uro-Oncology & Senior Consultant – Robotic Urology, Nanavati Max Super Specialty Hospital, Mumbai told indianexpress.com.

Two blood pressure drugs may cause sharp crystals to fuse in the joints – gout attack risk

Treatment with the two drugs could spell trouble for individuals at risk of arthritis, research suggests.

By SOLEN LE NET

Arthritis describes a broad range of inflammatory diseases, some of which are more painful than others. In gout, a surplus of uric acid in the body coalesces into sharp crystals that build up and spur inflammation in the joints. Pain and swelling are common symptoms, but as attacks intensify the condition can become increasingly debilitating.

Binge-eating and lack of exercise during lockdown has triggered huge increase in gout, data suggests

Hospital admissions for gout have surged due to binge-eating during lockdowns
Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes sudden and severe joint pain
The joint pain is usually in your big toe but can also be found in other joints

By XANTHA LEATHAM HEALTH AND SCIENCE REPORTER FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 17:22 EST, 14 August 2022 | UPDATED: 17:22 EST, 14 August 2022

How ‘the disease of kings’ has returned: Why cases of gout are rising in Britain – are YOU at risk?

The condition is known as ‘disease of kings’ as it used to mainly afflict nobility
Monarchs such as Henry VIII, George IV and Queen Anne all suffered from it
The likes of Neville Chamberlain and Benjamin Franklin also had bouts of gout
It’s associated with heavy meat and alcohol consumption, and a lack of exercise
There has been an increase in cases in recent years – 1.5m Brits suffer from it

By MATTHEW LODGE FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 13:43 EST, 26 December 2022 | UPDATED: 11:22 EST, 31 December 2022

As the ‘disease of kings’, gout has long plagued the upper echelons of British society.

Gout is on the rise – so why do so few patients get treatment they need?

The Irish News 11, November, 2022

Cases of gout are on the rise, but the condition is misunderstood, and few patients get the treatment they need, writes Julie Cook

AS an active young man in his 20s, Harry Tyndall was both shocked and scared to wake up one morning with an intense shooting pain in his right foot.

“It was the worst pain ever – I thought I’d broken it. I couldn’t even walk, yet I had done nothing to injure it,” recalls Harry, who was then just 27.

A trip to A&E followed, where Harry was diagnosed with gout, a form of arthritis that causes sudden, severe joint pain and is often associated with elderly men paying the price for over-indulging in rich food and port.

Category: Gout Attacks