The Prevalence of Gout among Hyperuricemic Population

Kim, Eung Ho; Jeon, Kyeongman; Park, Keon Woo; Kim, Hyung Jin; Ahn, Joong Kyong; Jeon, Chan Hong; Cha, Hoon Suk; Koh, Eun Mi

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of gout among hyperuricemic Korean people who visited Health Screening Center and to study related factors in the development of gout.
METHODS
The medical records of 6,461 people who visited Health Screening Center from March to May in 2002 were reviewed. Five hundred twenty one out of 603 hyperuricemic individuals were interviewed by telephone. Gout was diagnosed according to the clinical criteria of Wallace. Basic demographic and lifestyle variables as well as biochemical data were collected.
RESULTS
The prevalence of hyperuricemia was 14.3% in men and 2.2% in women. The prevalence of gout among hyperuricemic population was 16.6% for men and 6.7% for women. The mean age was higher in gout patients compared to the hyperuricemic people without gout, and serum uric acid and creatinine levels were increased in gout patients. The mean systolic blood pressure and the alcohol consumption amount were also increased in gout patients. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, statistically significant related factors for the development of gout among hyperuricemic population were age, uric acid level and alcohol consumption amount.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of gout among hyperuricemic Korean people who visited Health Screening Center was 16.6% for men and 6.7% for women. The possible related factors in the development of gout among hyperuricemic population were age, uric acid level and alcohol consumption amount.