Association between specific ultrasound features of joints and impaired kidney function among gout patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the specific ultrasonic manifestations of lower limb joints and impaired kidney function in gouty arthritis. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 408 patients with gouty arthritis were divided into two groups based on the status of renal function: normal group (n = 240) and renal impairment (n = 168) group. All patients underwent ultrasound examination of the bilateral knee, ankle, and first metatarsophalangeal joints to detect ultrasound features of double-contour sign (DC) and tophus. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between kidney dysfunction and ultrasound features. A number of potential clinical confounders were adjusted in the model. RESULTS: Univariable conditional logistic regression produces several significant risk factors of impaired kidney function which were the highest and current lever of serum urate acid, course of disease, frequency of attack, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, presence of multiple tophus, and DC (P < 0.05). After correcting the course of disease and other risk factors, tophus was still an independent risk factor of impaired kidney function and the multivariable adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) was 1.789 (1.005-3.185, P = 0.05), however, the association was not significant in DC (OR = 1.098, 95% CI: 0.668-1.803, P = 0.71). CONCLUSION: The ultrasound feature of tophus was associated with kidney dysfunction in patients with gout, independent of clinical risk factors, which may be helpful in guiding clinical practice.

Selective inhibition of adenylyl cyclase subtype 1 reduces inflammatory pain in chicken of gouty arthritis.

Lack of uricase leads to the high incidence of gout in humans and poultry, which is different from rodents. Therefore, chicken is considered to be one of the ideal animal models for the study of gout. Gout-related pain caused by the accumulation of urate in joints is one type of inflammatory pain, which causes damage to joint function. Our previous studies have demonstrated the crucial role of calcium-stimulated adenylyl cyclase subtype 1 (AC1) in inflammatory pain in rodents; however, there is no study in poultry. In the present study, we injected mono-sodium urate (MSU) into the left ankle joint of the chicken to establish a gouty arthritis model, and tested the effect of AC1 inhibitor NB001 on gouty arthritis in chickens. We found that MSU successfully induced spontaneous pain behaviors including sitting, standing on one leg, and limping after 1-3 h of injection into the left ankle of chickens. In addition, edema and mechanical pain hypersensitivity also occurred in the left ankle of chickens with gouty arthritis. After peroral administration of NB001 on chickens with gouty arthritis, both the spontaneous pain behaviors and the mechanical pain hypersensitivity were effectively relieved. The MSU-induced edema in the left ankle of chickens was not affected by NB001, suggesting a central effect of NB001. Our results provide a strong evidence that AC1 is involved in the regulation of inflammatory pain in poultry. A selective AC1 inhibitor NB001 produces an analgesic effect (not anti-inflammatory effect) on gouty pain and may be used for future treatment of gouty pain in both humans and poultry.

Differential risk group of developing stroke among older women with gouty arthritis: A latent transition analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Gout-related comorbidities are intricate and its clinical features may demonstrate sex difference; however, few studies have evaluated the links between comorbidities and gout in a female population. The objectives of this study were to compare the aggregation and transitive trajectories of comorbidities of gout, and their consequences in female and male gout populations. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A female and male gout population were followed up from 2000 to 2009 to identify the comorbidities of cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic kidney disease. The cumulative incidence of stroke from 2000 to 2010 was examined. A latent trajectory analysis was used to determine the transitive trajectories of the comorbidities of gout. RESULTS: Both female and male patients with gout had five risk cluster transition (CT) phenotypes of comorbidities within 10-year follow-up: CT1 and CT2, with various persistent comorbidities; CT3, with few persistent comorbidities; and CT4 and CT5, with transfer to cluster 1 from other clusters. The female participants in CT2 predominantly experienced DM and were associated with significantly increased risk of developing stroke. CONCLUSION: Diabetes is a notable risk factor for the development of stroke in female patients with gout. Early assessment and management for the comorbidities of gout, particularly in DM, would effectively reduce future stroke risk in female gout population.

Cubital tunnel syndrome secondary to gouty tophi: A case report.

Gout is a chronic rheumatic disease resulting from accumulation of monosodium urate crystals in tissues. The most important risk factor for the disease is hyperuricaemia. Precipitation of uric acid in the joint in the form of monosodium urate crystals is the main factor responsible for triggering attacks of arthritis. Tophi occur as a result of urate crystals that precipitate into joints and surrounding tissues. Tophi can erode the bone where they are located and cause compression in soft tissue due to a mass effect. The following case report describes a case of cubital tunnel syndrome developed in association with tophaceous compression and resolved with surgical decompression in a patient with chronic gouty arthritis.

Nephrolithiasis among male patients with newly diagnosed gout.

INTRODUCTION: An elevated serum urate level is recognised as a cause of gouty arthritis and uric acid stone. The level of serum uric acid that accelerates kidney stone formation, however, has not yet been clarified. This study aimed to find out if a high serum urate level is associated with nephrolithiasis. METHODS: Patients were recruited from the rheumatology clinic of Taipei City Hospital (Renai and Zhongxing branches) in Taiwan from March 2015 to February 2016. A total of 120 Chinese male patients with newly diagnosed gout and serum urate concentration of >7 mg/dL and no history of kidney stones were divided into two groups according to their serum urate level: <10 mg/dL (group 1, n=80) and ≥10 mg/dL (group 2, n=40). The mean body mass index, blood urea nitrogen level, creatinine level, urinary pH, and kidney ultrasonography were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in blood urea nitrogen or creatinine level between the two groups. The urine pH in both groups was similar and not statistically significant. Kidney stone formation was detected via ultrasonography in 6.3% (5/80) and 82.5% (33/40) of patients in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: A serum urate level of ≥10 mg/dL may precipitate nephrolithiasis. Further studies are warranted to substantiate the relationship between serum urate level and kidney stone formation.

[Chronic kidney diseases do not always pass unnoticed]. / Les maladies rénales chroniques ne sont pas toutes silencieuses!

Kidney diseases are frequent, but most of the time, they develop unnoticed. This paucity of symptoms may lead to delayed diagnosis with important consequences on their outcome. Nevertheless, specific systemic signs such as skin lesions, joint pain or electrolytes disturbances may sometimes alert the clinician and direct the diagnosis to an underlying nephropathy. A high awareness of clinicians is warranted to recognize these red flags and diagnose these diseases early, as illustrated by two clinical cases discussed in this article.

Bone erosions in patients with chronic gouty arthropathy are associated with tophi but not bone oedema or synovitis: new insights from a 3 T MRI study.

OBJECTIVES: Bone erosion has been linked with tophus deposition in gout but the roles of osteitis (MRI bone oedema) and synovitis remain uncertain. Our aims in this prospective 3 T MRI study were to investigate the frequency of these features in gout and determine their relation to one another. METHODS: 3 T MRI scans of the wrist were obtained in 40 gout patients. Scans were scored independently by two radiologists for bone oedema, erosions, tophi and synovitis. Dual-energy CT (DECT) scans were scored for tophi in a subgroup of 10 patients. RESULTS: Interreader reliability was high for erosions and tophi [intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) 0.77 (95% CI 0.71, 0.87) and 0.71 (95% CI 0.52, 0.83)] and moderate for bone oedema [ICC = 0.60 (95% CI 0.36, 0.77)]. Compared with DECT, MRI had a specificity of 0.98 (95% CI 0.93, 0.99) and sensitivity of 0.63 (95% CI 0.48, 0.76) for tophi. Erosions were detected in 63% of patients and were strongly associated with tophi [odds ratio (OR) = 13.0 (95% CI 1.5, 113)]. In contrast, no association was found between erosions and bone oedema. Using concordant data, bone oedema was scored at 6/548 (1%) sites in 5/40 patients (12.5%) and was very mild (median carpal score = 1, maximum = 45). In logistic regression analysis across all joints nested within individuals, tophus, but not synovitis, was independently associated with erosion [OR = 156.5 (21.2, >999.9), P < 0.0001]. CONCLUSION: Erosions were strongly associated with tophi but not bone oedema or synovitis. MRI bone oedema was relatively uncommon and low grade. These findings highlight the unique nature of the osteopathology of gout.

The effects of gout on left atrial volume remodelling: a prospective echocardiographic study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of gout on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function and left atrial volume (LAV). METHODS: A total of 173 patients were divided into four groups: control (n = 35), asymptomatic hyperuricaemia (n = 30), gouty arthritis without tophi (n = 58) and gouty tophi (n = 50). Patients underwent a comprehensive Doppler echocardiography examination to evaluate LV volume, systolic and diastolic function and LAV and function. RESULTS: Serum uric acid levels were not significantly different in the asymptomatic hyperuricaemia, gouty arthritis without tophi and gouty tophi groups. However, the ratio of the transmitral and myocardial peak early diastolic velocities (E/e') and LAV index (LAVi) progressively increased from the control group to the gouty tophi group. The tophi group had significantly higher E/e' [10.5 (s.d. 3.2) vs 8.6 (s.d. 2.1), P = 0.008] and larger maximal, pre-contraction and minimal LAVi [29.6 ml/m(2) (s.d. 9.9) vs 20.1 ml/m(2) (s.d. 4.8); 19.1 ml/m(2) (s.d. 8.5) vs 11.5 ml/m(2) (s.d. 3.4); 9.6 ml/m(2) (s.d. 4.2) vs 6.1 ml/m(2) (s.d. 2.2); all P < 0.001] than the control group. By binary logistic analysis, maximal LAVi was an independent predictor for the development of tophi in gout patients, with an odds ratio of 1.068 (95% CI 1.02, 1.118; P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: The severity of gout had a significant effect on LV diastolic dysfunction and LA enlargement in gout patients. Additionally, a high maximal LAVi predicted the development of tophi and may be a predictor of adverse cardiovascular events related to LA and LV remodelling in this clinical setting.

Management of gouty arthritis in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a comorbid condition that affects, based on recent estimates, between 47% and 54% of patients with gouty arthritis. However, data from randomized controlled trials in patients with gouty arthritis and CKD are limited, and current gouty arthritis treatment guidelines do not address the challenges associated with managing this patient population. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicine are recommended first-line treatments for acute gouty arthritis attacks. However, in patients with CKD, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are not recommended because their use can exacerbate or cause acute kidney injury. Also, colchicine toxicity is increased in patients with CKD, and dosage reduction is required based on level of kidney function. Allopurinol, febuxostat, and pegloticase are all effective treatments for controlling elevated uric acid levels after the treatment of an acute attack. However, in patients with CKD, required allopurinol dosage reductions may limit efficacy; pegloticase requires further investigation in this population, and febuxostat has not been studied in patients with creatinine clearance<30 mL/min. This article reviews the risks and benefits associated with currently available pharmacologic agents for the management of acute and chronic gouty arthritis including urate-lowering therapy in patients with CKD. Challenges specific to primary care providers are addressed, including guidance to help them decide when to collaborate with, or refer patients to, rheumatology and nephrology specialists based on the severity of gout and CKD.

Spondylodiscitis and Achilles tendonitis due to gout.

The patient, a 62-year-old man with a 3-year history of hyperuricemia, presented with severe neck pain, Achilles enthesopathy and polyarthralgia. He consumed alcohol heavily. The biochemical profile was normal except for elevated levels of CRP (3.6 mg/dl; normal < 0.3), uric acid (UA) (10.9 mg/dl; normal 2.5-7.5) and creatinine (1.7 mg/dl; normal 0.5-1.0). Bone scintigraphy showed polyarthritis at the right elbow, wrist and bilateral first MTP joints. Notably, bone scintigraphy with computed tomography also revealed spondylodiscitis of C5-C6, which was confirmed by MRI, and left Achilles tendonitis. Moreover, left Achilles tendonitis was also confirmed by ultrasonography, indicating enthesitis with low-echoic lesion and calcification. Needle aspiration yielded a white viscous liquid, with numerous urate crystals identified on polarized light microscopy. He was diagnosed with gouty arthritis associated with spondylodiscitis and Achilles tendonitis. After the treatment with allopurinol, colchicine and predonisolone, his symptoms were improved, and serum CRP and UA levels were normalized. The cervical spine and Achilles tendon are rare and notable sites of involvements in gout, and differential diagnosis of gouty arthritis from spondyloarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, tumor, pseudogout, and infection is necessary. When the patient was noted to have neck pain and Achilles enthesopathy, we should always recognize gouty arthritis.

Colchicine-responsive protracted gouty arthritis with systemic inflammatory reactions.

Acute gouty arthritis is a severe but self-limiting arthritis caused by inflammatory responses to urate crystals. Oral colchicines are effective for initial stages or prophylaxis, but generally, colchicines are ineffective for established gouty arthritis. We describe an unusual case of gouty arthritis with systemic inflammatory reactions, including high fever and polymyalgia. Refractory polyarthritis and high fever were eradicated by colchicine treatment. Genetic analysis revealed a heterozygous mutation in exon 2 of the MEFV gene (E148Q). This case underscores the possibility that MEFV gene mutations may modify the phenotype of gouty arthritis.

The 'Chalky Culprit' of acute locked knee.

Acute locked knee is commonly caused by tears of the menisci in the knee, osteochondral injuries and also by the stump of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. We present two cases of acute locked knee atypically caused by gouty tophaceous lesions in the knee.

[Ambulatory treatment of gouty arthritis].

AIM: To estimate effectiveness of ambulatory treatment of gouty arthritis (GA) using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NAIA) and detect factors associated with the impairment of the functional state of kidneys during short-term therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The functional state of kidneys in 100 patients with GA was estimated from creatinine clearance (CC) calculated by the Cockroft-Gault formula on day 2 after their examination in a polyclinic and prescription of NAIA to stop the gout attack or during the first days after hospitalization. Mean duration of NAIA therapy was 10.8 ± 4. 77 days. RESULTS: 18% of the outpatients with CC < 60 ml/min were given high doses of NAIA, 47% patients received them during the entire period of treatment, 36% were prescribed combined therapy with two or more NAIA. A short course of NAIA therapy resulted in the enhancement of CC in 46% of the patients and its fall in 54%. In 1 patient CC decreased by more than 50% compared with initial level; in 12 patients the decrease exceeded 25%. The risk of CC reduction under effect of NAIA increased in case of high NAIA doses (OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.05 = 2.20, p = 0.024), combination of several NAIA (OR = 2.74, 95% CI 1:95-3.87, p = 0.02), concomitant infection and antibiotic therapy (OR = 11.51, 95% CI 8.76-15.13, p = 0.005), II-III NYHA FC chronic cardiac insufficiency (CCI) (OR =4.88, 95% CI 9.83-1681, p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: Physicians of outpatient facilities do not always take account of the functional state of kidneys when prescribing NAIA for the treatment of GA. Kidney conditions in such patients deteriorate in case of high NAIA doses or combination of two and more NAIA during the entire period of therapy, in the presence of infection requiring antibiotic therapy or CCI.