Clinical features of familial gout and effects of probable genetic association between gout and its related disorders

We examined whether the age at onset, gender, arthritic manifestations, and tophus formation in familial gout are different from those in nonfamilial gout, and we also examined the contributory effect of genetic association t o the concurrence of hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, type 2 dia betes mellitus (DM), hypertension, obesity, and renal insufficiency with go ut in Taiwan. A total of 21,373 gout patients' data from Ho-Ping Gout datab ase were analyzed in this study retrospectively. The clinical and laborator y data were compared between familial and nonfamilial gout. Mean age at ons et of gout in familial subjects was significantly 7.5 years lower than that of nonfamilial subjects (40.9 +/- 13.4 v 48.4 +/- 14.2 years, P = .0001), while gender, arthritic severity, and tophus formation were not significant ly different between these 2 groups. Familial gout had lower serum triglyce ride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and percentage of hypertension than nonf amilial gout (182.4 +/- 125.3 v 195.9 +/- 135.8 mg/dL, P = .0001; 207.5 +/- 42.5 v 210.4 +/- 48.8 mg/dL, P = .0003; and 19.57% v 22.56%, P < .0001, re spectively). Their serum creatinine, body mass index (BMI), and percentage of type 2 DM were not significantly different. Our results demonstrate that familial gout is associated with precocious onset. Furthermore, the contri butory effect of genetic association to the concurrence of hyperlipidemia a nd hypertension with gout is less than that of environmental factors, while the effect of genetic association to the concurrence of obesity, type 2 DM , and renal insufficiency with gout is equivalent to that of environmental factors. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.