2006 Orthopaedic Surgery for Gout eMedicine Orthopedics

Description: Gout is an inflammatory arthritis caused by cellular reaction to uric acid crystal deposition. Usually, gout is hyperacute in presentation, but it may progress to chronic arthritis or even present as chronic arthritis. Diagnosis is based on identification of causative crystals or classic radiographic findings but is not based on hyperuricemia. The level of uric acid does not actually precipitate the gout; rather, acute changes in the level of uric acid cause gout. Most individuals with hyperuricemia do not have gout, but if high uric acid levels are untreated, 90% develop gout within 30 years. Hyperuricemia is found in 90% of individuals with gout, but it is also found in patients taking diuretics and even in those taking low doses of aspirin.
Synonyms and related keywords: urate crystal arthropathy, podagra, urate deposition disease, inflammatory arthritis, chronic arthritis
Bruce M Rothschild, MD 2006 Updated 2011