ACUTE GOUTY-ARTHRITIS IS SEASONAL

Objective, Information regarding effect of weather conditions on gout is sparse, We conducted a study in the USA to examine whether gout is seasonal, Methods. We reviewed synovial fluid (SF) analyses from our l aboratory during 1990-1995 and identified 359 patients who had acute g outy attacks. All fluids of patients with acute gout had intracellular monosodium urate crystals and SF leukocyte counts > 2000/mm(3) or mor e than 10 leukocytes per high power field (HPF). Retrospective chart r eview of all patients was performed to confirm a clinical picture of a cute gout. A control group included 76 patients with acute pseudogout whose SF were analyzed during the same period and who had intracellula r calcium pyrophosphate crystals and inflammatory leukocyte counts as in patients with gout, Results. Acute gout was most common during the spring; n = 115 (32%). Ninety (25%) patients had acute gout attacks in the fall; 81 (23%) had acute attacks during the summer; 73 (20%) had acute attacks in the winter. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the overall frequency of acute gout during the months and seasons, Using ANOVA, there was no overall statistically significa nt difference in the incidence of gout per season (p = 0.07), although it approached statistical significance. Acute gouty attacks were more common in the spring compared with winter (p = 0.002) and summer (p = 0.015), There was a trend but no statistically significant difference compared with fall. Winter was the season in which the fewest acute g outy cases were seen, although it was not statistically significant. N o seasonal difference was seen in the pseudogout group. There was no c orrelation between either mean monthly temperature or humidity and the incidence of acute gouty attacks. Conclusion. Acute gout attacks are significantly more common in the spring, No seasonal variation was see n in patients with acute pseudogout attacks.