J Korean Med Sci.  2015 Mar;30(3):240-244. 10.3346/jkms.2015.30.3.240.

Seasonality of Gout in Korea: A Multicenter Study

• Choi HJ
• Lee CH
• Lee JH
• Yoon BY
• Kim HA
• Suh CH
• Choi ST
• Song JS
• Joo H
• Choi SJ
• Lee JS
• Shin K
• Jun JB
• Baek HJ

• KMID: 2133299
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2015.30.3.240

Abstract

The object of this study was to evaluate the seasonality of gout in Korea. We retrospectively examined data from 330 patients seen at nine rheumatology clinics, treated with urate lowering therapy (ULT) more than one year after stopping prophylactic medication. Demographic data, clinical and laboratory features, and seasonality of gout onset and flares were collected. Season was classified in three-month intervals. The mean age was 52.2 yr and mean disease duration was 26.8 months. The male to female count was 318:12. The onset of acute gouty attacks was obtained in 256 patients. Gout developed most commonly in summer season (36.7%) (P<0.001) and in June (15.6%, P=0.002). During ULT, there were 147 (male 97.3%) gout flares. Although there was no statistically significant difference, gout flares were more common in summer (30.6%). Aggravating factors were identified in 57 flares: alcohol (72.0%) was most common. In the patients who attained target serum uric acid (<6 mg/dL) at the end of prophylaxis, gout flares were high in fall (35.8%) and September (17.0%). In Korea, the summer is most common season of gout onset and there is a tendency for gout flares to increase during ULT in summer/fall season.

Keyword

Gout Onset; Flares; Seasonality; Summer; Korea

MeSH Terms

Alcohol Drinking
Arthritis, Gouty/drug therapy/*epidemiology
Blood Pressure
Body Mass Index
Comorbidity
Female
Gout Suppressants/therapeutic use
Humans
Lipids/blood
Male
Middle Aged
Proteinuria
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
*Seasons
*Symptom Flare Up
Uric Acid/blood
Gout Suppressants
Lipids
Uric Acid

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The seasons and months of gout flares. Those in all episodes (A, B) and in patients who attained target serum uric acid at the end of prophylaxis (C, D).

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