And one treatment is never enough for gout sufferers - you need four.
Why four treatments for gout?
If you've studied my U-D-R-P explanation of how uric acid causes gout pain, you will understand that we need gout treatments to:
Control Uric acid levels
Minimize uric acid crystal Deposits
Reduce immune system Reaction
Relieve Pain
In addition, we have general gout research and studies of gout-related conditions.
Gout Research
In this section, I present gout research in the areas I have mentioned, plus reports on clinical trials, which is the final stage before a new gout treatment is launched. Once treatments become widely available, I include them in my Gout Pain Relief or Gout Prevention Sections.
Uric Acid Research
These studies relate to changes in uric acid levels.
Efficacy and tolerability of urate lowering drugs in gout: a randomized controlled trial of benzbromarone versus probenecid after failure of allopurinol.
Urate Deposit Research
These studies relate to uric acid deposits and their effects.
Gout pain haunts every gout sufferer, and we do everything we can to stop it. But you must concentrate on lowering uric acid. If you don't, this report shows how tophi will grow into your bones bringing more pain as your joints crumble.
Immune Response Research
These studies relate to how our immune system reacts to uric acid crystals.
Pain Research
These studies relate to our understanding of pain and how to control or cope with it.
Colchicine is one of the most prescribed gout pain killers. Well noted for bad effects on your stomach, scientists now believe another long term side effect of colchicine is breathing difficulties.
Gout Related Research
In addition to specific aspects of gout, mentioned above, there is plenty of research on how gout, or uric acid, and related treatments interact with other diseases. Given that most gout patients also suffer other conditions, then this is important research.
Side effects of allopurinol need to be balanced. See how to walk the tightrope between deadly allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome and kidney enhancing uric acid reduction.
Allopurinol tablets are a must for gout. See how they can help if you also have kidney disease.
General Gout Research
All other gout related studies that do not fit neatly into the other categories. These include conditions sometimes confused with gout, like pseudogout.
Gout relief measurement is just what you need to be certain your gout is improving. Sometimes it's hard to tell if your gout treatment is working, or which gout remedy is best. This tool tells you how.
An alternative treatment for gout can come from the most surprising places. This gout research shows how drawing blood reduces iron in the body which reduces gout attacks.
Your Gout Research
There are thousands of studies on various aspects of gout. If you don't see what you want, please let me know (the gout forum is the best place to ask), and I'll do some research.
If you want to do your own research, here are a couple of handy tools to help you.
Gout Dictionary - an alphabetical list defining terms, mainly scientific, that crop up in gout research studies.
Gout Research Sources - an alphabetic list of sources of gout research that I have used
Do you know other studies, or have opinions or questions about gout research? Please discuss them in the gout treatment forum.
Gout Treatment Page Created: 22nd June 2008 - Last Reviewed: 20th November 2008
