Gout, which is one of the diseases that is increasing worldwide, is a joint disease with symptoms such as pain, swelling and fever in the body. What is gout with a very different name? What are the gout treatment methods? Here are all the details you need to know about gout, Internal Medicine Specialist Assist. Assoc. Dr. Sedat Özdemir informed his readers of ellema.com. Is gout contagious? Is there a cure for gout? Here are the details you need to know about gout…
What are the Symptoms of Gout?
Gout is an inflammatory arthritis that occurs after the accumulation and crystallization of Monosodium Urate Monohydrate (MSU) in the joints. In other words, it is the formation of a rheumatic disease picture with pain, swelling, redness, fever (increase in temperature in the joints) caused by the accumulation of MSU crystals in the joints. The risk of developing the disease is higher in men. Gout is a common joint disease in men and elderly women. Competition with the disease is increasing worldwide. The cause of the disease is the excessive increase of urate ions in the blood and body fluids. In other words, it occurs when the level of uric acid, which is the last product of protein (purine) metabolism, increases too much.
Therefore, it is also known as the disease of the wealthy. Under normal conditions, a blood uric acid level above 6.8 mg/dl is considered too high. Although high uric acid level is necessary for the development of gout, gout does not occur in all patients with high uric acid levels, and it occurs in only a few (15%-25%). The higher the uric acid level in the blood, the higher the chance of having gout. Gout is a progressive disease involving one or more joints with attacks in the leg joints. It can become chronic over the years, causing loss of function of the joint. Uric acid accumulates in soft tissue and kidneys, causing cellulite formation, kidney stone formation and kidney disease.
In the increasing incidence of the disease;
- Prolongation of human life,
- Hypertension,
- Metabolic syndrome and obesity,
- Some drugs (frequent use of low-dose acetylsalicylic acid and thiazide diuretics) )
- Excessive use of high fructose corn syrup as sweetener,
- Dietary trend changes,
- End stage renal failure patients,
- Organ transplant patients in the midst of effective causes is shown.
Men are 3-6 times more likely to get gout than women.
Two-thirds of the uric acid formed in the body is excreted from the kidneys and one-third from the intestines. In patients with gout
, uric acid excretion from the kidneys is reduced by 90%. 10% of gout patients are caused by excess uric acid production or a combination of both overproduction and decreased excretion from the kidneys.
Causes of decreased renal excretion;
- Genetic factors (Primary hyperuricemia),
- Kidney diseases,
- Endophone organic acid accumulation
- There may be some drugs.
Some drugs increase the excretion of uric acid from the kidneys. The reasons for the increase in the formation of uric acid are;
- Diseases caused by some enzyme deficiency,
- Some blood diseases,
- Conditions increased by blood destruction,
- Obesity,
- Psoriasis,
- Some drugs,
- Alcohol,
- Red meat, offal, shellfish,
- Fructose.
The course of gout has 3 stages;
1) Asymptomatic Hyper Uricemia: It is the period when uric acid is high in the blood, but the disease does not occur.
2) Acute Intermittent Gout: The period in which the first gout attack occurs and the attacks recur in 5-8 days.
3) Chronic Advanced Gout
The first period, in which there is no symptoms, disease but high uric acid level, can last for years in silence. Gout does not occur in every person with high uric acid level. The first attack occurs years after uric acid elevation in men at the age of 40-50 years, and in women after menopause. Classical gout is characterized by rapid increase in temperature, swelling, redness, and severe pain, usually in one or sometimes both joints. The most commonly involved joint is the 1st finger joint of the foot. (called podagra). This is followed by the ankle and knee joints. After years, wrist, elbow and hand finger joints may also be affected.
Sometimes, fever, chills and weakness can be observed together with joint findings. This gout attack can be triggered by traumas, surgical processes, fasting, excessive consumption of high protein drinks, and drugs that affect serum and uric acid levels. Small swellings formed by the accumulation of uric acid under the skin are called tophi. These are indications that gout is progressing. Tophus are most common on the fingers, wrists, ears, knees, and arms.
How Does Gout Treatment Proceed?
- Diet and weight loss, increased fluid intake,
- Avoiding high protein (purine) foods,
- Reducing alcohol intake,
- Uric Reducing the acid level and
- drugs are recommended.
