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Cures for Gout
Research & Other News

Cures for gout

Finding cures for gout has occupied the minds of scientists and researchers for centuries.

Even though a true gout cure is not on the horizon, I would settle for cures for gout symptoms that made gout attacks less frequent and more bearable.
In this section of the website I look at news from around the world about gout research, gout cures, or anything of interest about gout.

Latest News May 31st 2007

Two important gouty news items have recently been announced. The first is perhaps one of the most unlikely cures for gout - coffee. I've written a short piece on my Gout Pal Interactive blog, and I will follow this up in the Treatments Section once I've researched it further.

The second is very important for my better gout treatment campaign. There are some new guidelines for managing gout treatment from rheumatologists. There is a lot in this document, and I've only seen the executive summary so far. Please help me review these guidelines. I've summarized the acute gout management guidelines, and set up a series of gout treatment discussion topics.

I publish most news items in your gout forum as soon as I can. These are usually abstracts from studies researching cures for gout or raw gout news stories. This gives you chance to see them quickly, and add your comments. Click here to see the latest gout research discussions.

For particularly interesting news items, I often write a short article on my gout blog. You can view, and comment on, the latest gout research articles here.

Here is a sample of items from my gout blog and your gout forum about gout research or news of cures for gout

When items are particularly interesting, I write a longer feature for your gout newsletter. Please subscribe to your GoutCaster newsletter on the form at the foot of the page, after reading the following views and news.

December 14th 2006

Beware Antibiotics With Colchicine
Health authorities around the world warn against taking clarithromycin, a popular antibiotic, at the same time as colchicine, one of the most popular cures for gout pain.

Safety label changes should now make this clear. Do not take Biaxin, the US brand name for clarithromycin, with colchicine.

I've added a new page about Biaxin and amended the colchicine page.

November 16th 2006

Cheaper Cures for Gout?

Wal-Mart Expands $4 Prescriptions To 38 States

Today, over 500 new pharmacies have been added to Wal-Mart's $4 prescription program. They have also expanded the range of prescription medications included in the program.

Wal-Mart.com USA, LLC
Under the scheme, over 300 generic drugs are available for a $4 prescription covering a 30 day supply. The range of medications covered account for 27% of the prescriptions Wal-Mart pharmacies dispense each year.

Of particular interest are the following cures for gout pain and uric acid agents: -

States Participating in Wal-Mart $4 Prescription Program At this time, the $4 prescriptions are not available by mail order, but are available online or by telephone for refills only for in-person pickup in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

November 12th 2006

Whether You Get Gout Depends on the Weather
A study presented at the 70th annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology reveals a link between gout and the weather.

High Humidity and High Temperature Increase the Risk of Recurrent Gout Attacks:

The Online Case-crossover Gout Study
This study by YQ Zhang, CE Chaisson, CA Chen, TE McAlindon, and DJ Hunterree states:
"While dehydration has long been considered a potential trigger for recurrent gout attacks, few studies have examined the relation of risk factors that may cause dehydration to the risk of recurrent gout attacks. In hot and humid weather individuals can lose body fluids through perspiration. Thus, serum uric acid levels may increase due to reduced uric acid excretion."

197 gout sufferers logged details of gout attacks and gout-free days. The results indicate a strong correlation between both increased temperature and increased humidity. I've charted the figures from the study:-

Gout risk increases with high temperature and high humidity

For further information see the abstract of this gout study , including the data from which I built my graph.

The authors conclude:
"Our results demonstrate that high temperature and high humidity are both associated with an increased risk of recurrent gout attacks. Under such weather conditions, subjects with gout may need to increase fluid intake to replace volume depletion."

This reinforces one of the cures for gout we already know about - drink plenty of water (and not just when it's hot or humid).

I'll publish more reviews from the American College of Rheumatology meeting in the next newsletter (1st December 2006)

November 9th 2006

Apparently, Gout Hurts
A press release from Savient Pharmaceuticals reveals:

New Poll Shows the Extreme Pain of Gout is Detrimental to Quality of Life & Work

Rheumatic Disorder on the Rise; Patients Report Major or Extreme Impact on Lifestyle Activities
The press release is actually three news items in one.
  1. An online poll of over 300 people has revealed the startling news that gout hurts. Sorry to sound sarcastic, but I think we knew that already.
    OK, cynicism aside, it's nice to see an interest in gout sufferers, but I think we would benefit from a much more extensive, in-depth study. Only 13 percent reported seeing a rheumatologist. I think a study into how specialist advice from rheumatologists can be made more accessible would be a good subject.
    I get the impression that the main reason for the poll is to provide a newsworthy introduction to ....

  2. Launch of Gout & Uric Acid Education Society, a non-profit, patient advocacy organization created to educate patients and healthcare providers about gout and the related consequences of hyperuricemia.

    This is good news, if it really is going to achieve some progress towards cures for gout. Again, I don't want to sound too cynical, but I'm always a little wary when drug companies fund research. In this case, there's some real gout talent on board , so let's look forward to new cures for gout soon.

  3. Savient keep puricase in the public eye. "Although therapy for gout has not improved dramatically in 3 decades, this is now changing, particularly for those patients with difficult disease, with the development of Puricase (PEG-uricase), a recombinant, pegylated formulation of urate oxidase, an enzyme present in almost all mammals -- but not in humans -- that eliminates uric acid from the blood and tissues."
Puricase is currently in Phase 3 trials, the final testing phase before general release. Final submission for approval will be late 2007 / early 2008 according to Savient.

Earlier gout news stories   have been archived.

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