Recent trends in hyperuricemia and gout in Japan

The prevalence of hyperuricemia amongst Japanese adult men is now estimated to be nearly 30%. Although it had been increasing continuously until a few years ago, it now seems to have reached a plateau. In women, the prevalence of hyperuricemia is much lower than in men: 1-2% among those aged younger than 50 years and around 3% amongst those aged 50 years or older. A population-based study conducted in 2003 in a small district in Wakayama Prefecture, the age distribution of which was representative of Japan, found that the prevalence of gout was 1.7% in adult men who were older than 30 years. In that study, all 14 of the gouty patients detected were male. The results of research on the prevalence of gout in the same area conducted 30 years ago were about half of the 2003 results, suggesting that the gout prevalence may have increased. Since the number of tablets of urate-lowering drugs sold in Japan has continued to increase, the number of patients with hyperuricemia or gout that are being treated is thought to be increasing. Since hyperuricemia can cause chronic kidney disease and urolithiasis as well as gout, proper management of serum uric acid levels is warranted.