Old Disease, New Tricks: A Novel Approach to Understanding Gout

What they found is that the initiation of guideline-based gout treatment reduced systemic inflammation between gout flares and improved endothelial-dependent arterial function, especially in patients without established cardiovascular comorbidities.⁴

These findings imply that colchicine and XOI therapies may be able to help reduce systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction even in intercritical periods, meaning the time between gout flares.

In Sum

The entirety of the session was fascinating and stimulating. It proves the point that, even when it seems not much more can be gleaned about an old disease, there are always methods by which to come away from the discussion with new and innovative ideas.

Jason Liebowitz, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York.

References

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2. Mirzaesmaeili A, Zangiabadi S, Raspanti J, et al. Cutting edge: Negative regulation of inflammasome activation by TRAF1 can limit gout. J Immunol. 2023 Mar 1;210(5):531–535.
3. Kang DH, Park SK, Lee IK, Johnson RJ. Uric acid-induced C-reactive protein expression: Implication on cell proliferation and nitric oxide production of human vascular cells. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2005;16(12):3553–3562.
4. Toprover M, Shah B, Oh C, et al. Initiating guideline-concordant gout treatment improves arterial endothelial function and reduces intercritical inflammation: A prospective observational study. Arthritis Res Ther. 2020 Jul 11;22(1):169.