Hyperuricemia and gout

Although chronic tophaceous gout has become increasingly uncommon, hyperuricemia and acute gout are still common clinical entities. Most patients with hyperuricemia are under-excreters, and many of these cases are drug induced. Since longstanding asymptomatic hyperuricemia does not appear to cause progressive renal insufficiency, and uric acid renal stones are uncommon in underexcreters, these patients generally require no treatment. The minority of patients who overproduce uric acid are at increased risk for urolithiasis, and therapy should be decided on an individual basis. Acute gout is best treated with colchicine or indomethacin. The newer non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ie, ibuprofen, sulindac) may prove to be equally effective and are associated with fewer gastrointestinal side effects. Prophylaxis should be undertaken in patients with recurrent gout or documented uric acid urolithiasis. Although uricosuric drugs appear to be less toxic than allopurinol, they should not be used in patients who overproduce uric acid or in patients who have a history of urolithiasis or renal insufficiency. The allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome is being reported with increased frequency and may be fatal.