Obesity, Hypertension, and Diuretics double risk of developing Gout

Obesity, hypertension, and diuretic use are all risk factors for incident gout, independent of one another and each more than doubling the risk of developing gout compared with those without these conditions, according to a study recently published in the journal Arthritis Research and &Therapy.

Evans PL and his associates conducted a study to assess the risk of incident gout associated with obesity, hypertension and diuretic use. The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective and retrospective cohort studies which included adults aged 18 years and older, from primary care or general populations. Articles were required to have examined at least one of obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), hypertension (self-reported, physician-diagnosed or study-defined mmHg value) or diuretic use (self-reported or reported in records) and their association with incident gout, defined as the first recorded episode.

• Gout was 2.24 times more likely to occur in individuals with body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2.


• Patients with hypertension were more than twice as likely to experience incident gout than those without hypertension.


• Diuretic use was associated with almost 2.5 times the risk of developing gout compared to no diuretic use.

“We have shown that obesity, hypertension and diuretic use are all important risk factors for incident gout. The prevalence of obesity is rising within the UK as well as globally and it has been linked to co-morbidities and mortality; as a result, the obesity epidemic has become a major public health concern,” write the authors.

The authors suggested that patients with these risk factors should be recognized by clinicians as being at greater risk of developing gout and should be provided with appropriate management and treatment options.

The primary risk factor for gout is an elevated serum urate level (hyperuricemia), leading to monosodium urate crystal deposition in and around joints, acute attacks of crystal synovitis and progressive joint damage.

For reference log on to https://doi.org/10.1186/s13075-018-1612-1