Abstract
Gout is an inflammatory, metabolically conditioned crystal-induced disease. Prevalence of gout is on the increase.
In clinical practice it is frequently wrongly diagnosed and the therapy of acute attacks in particular is not adequate. The first part of the publication discusses diagnostic possibilities of gouty arthritis.
First of all the advantage of the analysis of synovial exudate and of direct evidence of crystals in the polarization microscope is emphasized. If the material for crystallographic analysis is not available, it is necessary to use a combination of clinical criteria as specified e.g. in the recommendations of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR).
The second part focuses on the therapy of gout which is divided into the periods of asymptomatic hyperuricemia, acute gouty attack, intercritical and chronic tophaceous gout. Asymptomatic hyperuricemia is only treated when uricemia greater than 540 µmol/l occur repeatedly, or when other risk factors and comorbidities are present.
In the treatment of acute gouty attack its early start is more important than the choice of a preparation. Alternatives are NSA, colchicine or glucocorticoids.
A newly regist-ered medicine for the treatment of refractory acute inflammation is the IL-1 inhibitor canakinumab. The treatment of hyperuricemia involves regimen and diet measures, abstinence and hypouricemic therapy.
Available are the xanthine oxidase inhibitors, allopurinol and febuxostat; the latter is better suited for patients with moderate renal insufficiency. A new medicine for the treatment of severe refractory tophaceous gout is pegloticase.