Recent advances in management of gout

Gout, which is caused by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in synovial fluid and other tissues, is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease in men, at least in the Western world, and is increasing in prevalence worldwide. In addition to extremely painful recurrent acute and chronic arthritis, gout is associated with chronic kidney diseases and metabolic syndrome, including dyslipidemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and obesity. Thus it has an impact on morbidity and premature mortality. For the proper management of gout, definite diagnosis should come first. Management plans for the treatment of gout have to be designed to meet the requirements of each individual patient and to control both gout and its associated disorders. The goals of treatment for gout are fast pain relief and the prevention of future gout attacks and long-term complications, such as joint destruction and other comorbidities. In this article, recent advanced non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic management strategies for gout and hyperuricemia will be described.