Obesity, high blood pressure and alcohol consumption are among the major risk factors for gout in women.
Obesity, high blood pressure and alcohol consumption are among the major risk factors for gout in women.
Gout, a common and painful inflammatory arthritis, is caused by elevated uric acid levels in the blood. To evaluate the risk factors for gout, researchers analysed data from American 2,476 women and 1,951 men who took part in the Framingham Heart Study. The participants were in their mid-40s and free of gout at the start of the study.
After a follow-up of 28 years, there were 104 gout cases in women and 200 in men. The gout incidence per 1,000 person-years was 1.5 in women and 4.0 in men. Women with serum uric acid levels over 5 mg/dL had a significantly lower risk of developing gout than men with uric acid levels over 5 mg/dL.
Risk factors independently associated with higher risk of gout in women were: increasing age, obesity, alcohol consumption, diuretic use and hypertension.
Women with serum uric acid levels greater than 8 mg/dL had a 46-fold higher risk of gout compared to those with levels less than 5 mg/dL. However, the magnitude of the association between uric acid levels and gout among women was significantly lower than for men.
Gout, a common and painful inflammatory arthritis, is caused by elevated uric acid levels in the blood. To evaluate the risk factors for gout, researchers analysed data from American 2,476 women and 1,951 men who took part in the Framingham Heart Study. The participants were in their mid-40s and free of gout at the start of the study.
After a follow-up of 28 years, there were 104 gout cases in women and 200 in men. The gout incidence per 1,000 person-years was 1.5 in women and 4.0 in men. Women with serum uric acid levels over 5 mg/dL had a significantly lower risk of developing gout than men with uric acid levels over 5 mg/dL.
Risk factors independently associated with higher risk of gout in women were: increasing age, obesity, alcohol consumption, diuretic use and hypertension.
Women with serum uric acid levels greater than 8 mg/dL had a 46-fold higher risk of gout compared to those with levels less than 5 mg/dL. However, the magnitude of the association between uric acid levels and gout among women was significantly lower than for men.
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