What is Gout ?

Read about Gout Disease presented in simple easy to understand language

Etiology
Primary Gout
• Idiopathic metabolic defects or enzyme defects in purine metabolism. 
• Faulty renal excretion. 

Secondary Gout

• Glucose – 6- phosphatase deficiency. 
• Acute and chronic renal failure due to drug effects, e.g., diuretics, aspirin. 

General Causes for Gout are as Follows

• Hyperuricemia due to inborn errors of metabolism. 
• Obesity and high alcohol intake. 
• Inadequate diet or dietary excess ( i.e. intake of food high in purines such as liver, yeast, kidney, peas and lentil).
• Lead poisoning which reduces the kidneys’ ability to clear the urate crystals. 

Signs and Symptoms
Acute Gout
• Acute attack is preceded by severe pain, aching in the limbs, swelling and redness without prior warning. 
• Inflammation, swelling and tenderness in the joint of first toe.
• Joints are painful, throb to touch, generally starts at night and may last for hours. 

Most people get acute attacks again, usually within 2 years of time. About 62% have a second attack of Gout within a year but 90% of patients have an attack of Gout only once in 10 years. But there are about 10% of them who never experience an attack again. However, the greater the number of such acute attacks, the more likely you are to have further attacks. 

Chronic Gout

• Persistent pain in many joints with large crystal deposits (tophi) in joints, tendons and soft tissue. 
• High level of uric acid for long term leading to the development of kidney stones. 

Laboratory Diagnosis
• High ESR
• High levels of uric acid in the blood. Read Previous  Read More...