Gout and cardiovascular risk: a cohort study

Abstract

Introduction: Gout is an inflammatory arthritis characterized by self-limiting but excruciatingly painful acute attacks. The relation of gout and hyperuricaemia in cardiovascular diseases has been well documented. It is known, that the cardiovascular disorders are the main reason of death in patients suffering from gout, and also that high blood pressure and hypercholesterolaemia are the main pathogenic mechanism of metabolic changes confounding influence on cardiovascular risk in such patients. Objective: Our aim was to assess the prevalence cardiovascular risk factors in gout patients. Methods: A total of 102 consecutive adult male patients aged 41-72 years diagnosed with gout between 2010 and 2012 were enrolled in the study. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric >420 mcmol/L. SCORE index was used for cardiovascular risk assessment, where low risk was defined when SCORE <1%, moderate risk was defined when 1% < SCORE <5%, high risk - 5% <SCORE <10%, and very high when SCORE >10%. Results: All patients aged <45 years had low cardiovascular risk factors which did not depend on smoking status, blood pressure and cholesterol level. These results differed from those obtained in group aged from 46 to 59 years, where moderate and high cardiovascular risk was found in equal proportion among non-smokers. In the same age group, the smokers with hypertension had high and very high cardiovascular risk. Finally, the group of patients aged >60 years, 56% had very high cardiovascular risk, 34% had high risk, and only non-smokers (10%) had moderate cardiovascular risk. Conclusions: Gout is associated with cardiovascular risk indicators. The prevalence of hyperholesterolaemia, hypertention and smoking increases with age and should be considered in the complex management of patients suffering of gout.