Scientific Reports (May 2017)

Risk of infections in patients with gout: a population-based cohort study

  • B. Spaetgens,
  • F. de Vries,
  • J. H. M. Driessen,
  • H. G. Leufkens,
  • P. C. Souverein,
  • A. Boonen,
  • J. W. M. van der Meer,
  • L. A. B. Joosten

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01588-5
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Abstract To investigate the risk of various types of infections (pneumonia and urinary tract infection (UTI)), and infection-related mortality in patients with gout compared with population-based controls. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). All patients with a first diagnosis of gout and aged >40 years between January 1987-July 2014, were included and matched with up to two controls. Time-varying Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the risk of infections and mortality. 131,565 patients and 252,763 controls (mean age: 64 years, 74% males, mean follow-up of 6.7 years) were included in the full cohort. After full statistical adjustment, the risk of pneumonia was increased (adj. HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.36), while the risk of UTI (adj. HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.01) was similar in patients compared to controls. No differences between patients and controls were observed for infection-related mortality due to pneumonia (adj. HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.14) or UTI (adj. HR 1.16, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.37). In conclusion, patients with gout did not have decreased risks of pneumonia, UTI or infection-related mortality compared to population-based controls.