Wolfson JRF publishes study linking gout to increased risk of several diseases

A new study led by Dr Pek Kei Im, Junior Research Fellow at Wolfson College, and researchers from Oxford Population Health and Peking University has found that gout is linked to increased risk of several diseases.

Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis. The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, provides a comprehensive assessment of the distribution pattern of gout and hyperuricemia (the sustained elevated blood urate level, a precursor of gout) and their relationships with a range of other diseases, using data of 0.5 million participants from the China Kadoorie Biobank study.

Key findings:

• In the Chinese population, gout and hyperuricemia were more common in men, urban residents, and older participants, with substantial geographical variation across regions;
• Gout was associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease (including ischaemic heart disease and stroke), chronic kidney disease, and urolithiasis, confirming findings from previous studies in Western populations;
• In addition, gout was also associated with risks of several diseases less established to be related to gout previously, including diabetes, arthropathies, and diseases of the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum;
• Most of these associations were bi-directional (meaning the diseases also increase future risk of gout), and were not fully explained by shared lifestyle and cardiometabolic risk factors or reverse causation;
• Overall, individuals who developed gout were more likely to have multiple comorbidities, more hospitalisations, and higher mortality risk.

Dr Im, Senior Epidemiologist at Oxford Population Health, said: “The prevalence of gout has increased substantially globally over the past 30 years. Our study demonstrates and characterises the comorbidity burden of gout. This knowledge can inform prevention and management strategies of gout and related diseases in China and elsewhere. Findings on the socio-demographic variation in hyperuricemia and gout occurrence may inform targeted screening and prevention strategies at local and national levels, including approaches to address risk factors through lifestyle modification, and improve timely access and adherence to treatment.”

Associate Professor Iona Millwood, from Oxford Population Health, added “Our findings may also inform prevention and management guidelines for gout, which could include assessment and monitoring of a wider range of comorbidities. Our study opens the door for further studies to investigate the causal relationship and explore the underlying mechanisms between gout and different diseases, which may translate to effective prevention and new therapies for multiple diseases.”