Risk of acute gout among active smokers: data from nationwide inpatient sample

Increased risk of incident gout in patients with hyperthyroidism: a nationwide retrospective cohort study

Previous studies have reported that thyroid dysfunction is associated with increased serum uric acid levels; however, the relationship between hyperthyroidism and incidence of clinical manifestations of gout has not been fully investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to longitudinally investigate the risk of gout in patients with hyperthyroidism. This nationwide retrospective cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Claims Database. We included 76,494 patients with hyperthyroidism and 76,542 age- and sex-matched controls. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to adjust for potential confounders and estimate the risk of incident gout in patients with hyperthyroidism. During a mean follow-up of 9 years, incident gout developed in 3,655 (4.8%) patients with hyperthyroidism and 3251 (4.2%) controls. Hyperthyroidism was significantly associated with increased risk of incident gout [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.18], independent of baseline metabolic profiles. The median time from the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism to the development of gout was 6 years. When stratified by age and sex, the risk of gout was still significant in the < 50-year age group (HR: 1.2, 95% CI 1.12-1.29) and males (HR: 1.21, 95% CI 1.12-1.30), but not in the older age group (> 50 years) and females. Hyperthyroidism is an important risk factor for incident gout, particularly in younger age groups (< 50 years) and males. Our results highlight the importance of continuous screening for gout in patients with hyperthyroidism.

Second-Hand Smoke and Its Synergistic Effect with a Body-Mass Index of >24.9 kg/m2 Increase the Risk of Gout Arthritis in Indonesia

To analyze the association between smoking status (active smoking and exposure to Second-Hand Smoking (SHS)) and the synergistic effect of smoking status and BMI with gout risk, a community-based case-control design was undertaken among 385 participants, including 304 healthy controls and 81 gout patients from seven community health services. Adjusted Odd Ratios (AORs) and 95% Confidence Interval (CIs) of gout for active smoking and SHS were 3.26 (95% CI = 1.07~9.90) and 4.67 (95% CI = 2.18~10.00) compared to non-smokers. Time-dependent manner of active smoking and SHS significantly increased gout risk with AORs and 95% CIs of 5.95 (1.41~25.03) and 10.12 (3.51~29.14). Dose-dependency of active smokers and SHS showed AORs and 95% CIs of 5.15 (1.28~20.63) and 4.37 (1.33~14.28). Smoking 20 cigarettes (one pack) per day for one year is equivalent to one pack-year. Active smoking >20 pack-year and SHS > 26.5 pack-year increased gout risk with AORs and 95% CIs of 7.18 (1.53~33.67) and 9.95 (3.64~27.22). Participants who smoked (active smoking and SHS) and with Body Mass Index (BMI) of > 24.9 kg/m2 synergistically increased gout risk, with an AOR of 9.65 and 95% CI of 3.25~28.65, compared to BMI ≤ 24.9 kg/m2 and non-smoker. Smoking status (active smoking and SHS) and the synergistic effect of smoking status and BMI increased gout risk in Indonesia.

Hyperuricemia and the Risk of Heart Failure: Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Implications

The association between hyperuricemia and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been reported and studied in the past two decades. Xanthine oxidase (XO) induced uric acid (UA) serves as a risk factor and has the independent prognostic and functional impact of heart failure (HF), but whether it plays a positive role in the pathogenesis of HF has remained unclear. Growing evidence suggest the up-regulated XO avtivity and increased production of free oxygen radical (ROS) correspondingly are the core pathogenesis of HF with hyperuricemia, which results in a whole cluster of pathophysiologic cardiovascular effects such as oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation, left ventricular (LV) dysfunction as well as insulin resistance (IR). The use of XO inhibition represents a promising therapeutic choice in patients with HF due to its dual effect of lowering serum UA levels as well as reducing ROS production. This review will discuss the pathophysiologic mechanisms of hyperuricemia with HF, the targeted therapeutic interventions of UA lowering therapies (ULT) with XO inhibition and mechanism underlying beneficial effects of ULT. In addition, the review also summarizes current evidence on the role of ULT in HF and compares CV risk between allopurinol and febuxostat for practical and clinical purposes. Guidelines and implementation of CV risk management in daily practice will be discussed as well.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Risk Factor for Arrhythmias, Conduction Disorders, and Cardiac Arrest

Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been described as a risk factor for cardiac arrhythmias. Its association with atrial fibrillation has been established. However, relationships with other arrhythmias and conduction disorders have not been fully studied. Methods We used the National Inpatient Sample database from 2009 to 2011 to explore the relationship between OSA and arrhythmias and conduction disorders. The presence of diagnosis was determined based on the International Classification of Disease-9 (ICD-9) codes. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to establish mortality risks among all groups. Results Multivariate logistic regression showed increased mortality in patients with OSA in comparison to patients without OSA and patients across all categories of arrhythmias and conduction disorders. One significant finding was the increased association of cardiac arrest in patients with OSA versus patients without OSA (OR: 95.72; CI: 89.13-105.81, p < 0.001). Conclusions OSA is significantly associated with non-atrial fibrillation arrhythmias, conduction disorders, and sudden cardiac arrest. Awareness regarding this association is important for early screening for OSA in obese patients to prevent cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) might be beneficial against all kinds of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.

[Hyperuricemia, gout and high cardiovascular risk - how to manage them in clinical practice]

In recent years, the relationship of hyperuricemia and gout with a high risk of cardiovascular disease has been widely discussed. Therefore, it is important to systematically examine patients in order to diagnose comorbidities, among which cardiovascular disease and its complications occupy a leading place and consider mandatory treatment of patients with hyperuricemia and gout with high cardiovascular risk with lowering drugs, which fully reflects the provisions of the latest European recommendations for the management and treatment of patients with gout.

Association between smoking and gout: a meta-analysis

Previous studies showed that smoking is linked with the decreased risk of gout, but the results remain controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the associations between smoking and the risk of gout. A systematic literature search of PubMed and EMBASE was conducted. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers. The pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the strength of associations, using random effects and fixed effects models. Five studies with a total of 17,915,507 participants with 16,880 gouts were enrolled. Heterogeneity among the effect sizes of five studies was reported as I² = 87.9%. Our meta-analysis indicated that smoking (ever- vs non-, OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.67-1.12) was not associated with the risk of gout in random effects model, whereas there was an association between smoking (ever- vs non-, OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.65-0.74) and gout risk in fixed effects model. Our finding indicates that smoking may not be involved in the risk of gout. However, further studies are still needed to confirm our results.

An association of smoking with serum urate and gout: A health paradox

BACKGROUND

The potential effect of cigarette smoking on levels of serum urate and risk of gout has been considered by a large number of studies, either as the primary variable of interest or as a covariate.

METHODS

Here we systematically review the published evidence relating to the relationship of smoking with serum urate, hyperuricaemia, and gout.

RESULTS

Many studies have reported that smoking reduces serum urate, however, the evidence has not been conclusive with other studies pointing to the opposite or no effect. It has also been suggested that smoking reduces the risk of gout, although there is some evidence to contradict this finding.

CONCLUSION

A consensus has yet to be reached as to the effect of smoking on serum urate levels and the risk of gout.

Impact of comorbidities on gout and hyperuricaemia: an update on prevalence and treatment options

Gout, the most prevalent inflammatory arthritis worldwide, is associated with cardiovascular and renal diseases, and is an independent predictor of premature death. The frequencies of obesity, chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemias, cardiac diseases (including coronary heart disease, heart failure and atrial fibrillation), stroke and peripheral arterial disease have been repeatedly shown to be increased in gout. Therefore, the screening and care of these comorbidities as well as of cardiovascular risk factors are of outmost importance in patients with gout. Comorbidities, especially CKD, and drugs prescribed for their treatment, also impact gout management. Numerous epidemiological studies have shown the association of asymptomatic hyperuricaemia with the above-mentioned diseases and cardiovascular risk factors. Animal studies have also produced a mechanistic approach to the vascular toxicity of soluble urate. However, causality remains uncertain because confounders, reverse causality or common etiological factors might explain the epidemiological results. Additionally, these uncertainties remain unsolved despite recent studies using Mendelian randomisation or therapeutic approaches. Thus, large randomised placebo-controlled trials are still needed to assess the benefits of treating asymptomatic hyperuricaemia.