DOES RENAL IMPAIRMENT PROTECT FROM GOUT

Objective. To test whether renal impairment protects from the developm ent of gout. Methods. We conducted a retrospective cohort study in whi ch 40 hyperuricemic patients (serum uric acid >0.54 mM/l) with renal i mpairment (serum creatinine >200 mu M/l) and 40 equally hyperuricemic patients with normal renal function (serum creatinine <120 mu M/l) wer e given a telephone questionnaire eliciting a history of gout, its pat tern and severity, and other features of medical and family history. R esults. There was no significant difference among the prevalence of go ut (relative risk 1.1, confidence interval 0.73-1.67), the pattern and severity of gout, and the presence of tophi between the 2 groups. A p ositive family history of gout was significantly increased in the pati ents with gouty arthritis (p <0.05). Conclusion. Renal impairment does not protect from gout. There may be a familial factor in the developm ent of gout that is independent from the familial tendency for hyperur icemia.