Several abstracts on gout reveal true burden of disease and highlight promising new treatments

New studies on gout were presented this week at EULAR, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, taking place in London, UK. Gout is considered one of the most painful, debilitating forms of arthritis and affects three to six million people in USA alone and approximately seven million in Europe (1.4 percent of the population). A small number of gout patients are burdened with a difficult-to-treat form of the condition, known as refractory chronic gout.

A pan-European study of 755 gout patients found that prevalence of self-reported gout was highest in the UK (2.2%) and lowest in France (0.76%). French, German and British gout patients all had lower quality of life scores, and had significant work and social impairment compared to controls (p<0.05 for all comparisons). Interestingly, patients in these countries also had more hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure and renal disease (p=0.05) compared to healthy controls. Abstract Number: FRI0275-HP.

Phase III study demonstrates long term efficacy and safety of Krystexxa