Time course of changes in the clinical manifestations of gout in men: Data of a 7-year retrospective follow-up

Abstract

Aim. To estimate the time course of changes in the clinical manifestations of gout and their risk factors during a long-term follow-up. Subjects and methods. A total of 160 male patients with gout were examined and followed up for a mean of 6.9±2.0 years. Their clinical assessment included determination of the type of arthritis over time, the frequency of arthritis attacks during one year prior to the examination, the presence and number of subcutaneous tophi, inflamed joints, comorbid or co-occurring diseases (CD), allopurinol adherence, dietary compliance, frequency of taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), diuretics, and alcohol. The serum levels of uric acid (UA), glucose, total cholesterol, and glomerular filtration rate were estimated. Results. The number of patients taking allopurinol increased from 19% to 64% (р

Keywords

• uric acid
• gout
• chronic arthritis
• remission