Women's gout risks uncovered

Friday April 2nd, 2010

By Jane Collingwood
Women are less likely than men to develop gout, researchers have reported.

Gout involves recurring painful inflammation of the joints. It is caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the blood. The build up of uric acid leads to crystals that cause joint swelling and inflammation.

Traditionally it has been linked to heavy drinking.

Its rate in women is increasing, but the risk factors for women remain unclear. Researchers from Boston University, USA, led by Dr Hyon Choi evaluated possible risk factors for gout among women and compared them with men.

They analysed figures from 2,476 women and 1,951 men who were followed for up to 52 years. The rate of gout per 1,000 "person-years" was 1.4 for women and 4.0 for men.

Older age, obesity, high blood pressure, alcohol use and use of diuretics, to tackle blood pressure, increase the risk of gout in women, as in men.

With each five-year increase in age, the risk went up by 24 per cent. Risk was nearly three times higher with a body mass index over 30 (obese) than under 25 (normal weight).

Alcohol intake, high blood pressure and use of diuretics also significantly increased the risk. Full results are published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Dr Choi said: "Our study found that higher levels of uric acid in the blood increase the gout risk for women in a graded manner."

The risk was 46 times higher among women with serum uric acid levels of eight mg/dl than among women whose levels were less than five mg/dl. But the strength of the association between gout and uric acid blood levels was weaker for women than for men.

Bhole, V. et al. Epidemiology of Gout in Women: 52-Year Follow up of a Prospective Cohort. Arthritis & Rheumatism, published online March 30, 2010.

Tags: North America | Rheumatology | Women’s Health & Gynaecology

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