Special Medical Considerations Important for Women With Gout

A different approach to treatment of gout among women is critically needed, as a nationwide analysis of patients with gout confirms a strikingly different comorbidity profile between men and women, according to research published in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases.

“Women with gout are almost 10 years older than men and suffer from heart failure, obesity, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and chronic kidney disease, in some cases with differences exceeding 10 percentage points, compared with men,” the authors said.

The multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study evaluated patients in both public and private Spanish hospitals using data from 192,037 hospitalized patients with gout. The investigators then compared the age and comorbidities by gender.

From the sample group, 17.4% were women with gout. These women were significantly older when compared to men (73.9 years vs 64.0 years).

Women were more likely to exhibit chronic kidney disease (33.8% vs 25.1%), heart failure (31.8% vs 16.6%), dementia (2.1% vs 1.2%), diabetes mellitus (36.2% vs 26.0%), obesity (16.3% vs 10.8%), urinary tract infection (12.0% vs 5.4%), dyslipidemia (31.8% vs 30.7%), and concurrent rheumatic disease (2.6% vs 1.4%) than were men with gout.

The results also revealed that men were more likely to suffer from coronary disease, obstructive respiratory diseases, and peripheral vascular disease.

“Our results imply women with gout should be approached with special consideration in clinical practice to address gender blindness and guarantee the best care from healthcare professionals,” the report concluded.

Reference:
Rodríguez-Sosa E, De Miguel E, Borrás F and Andres M. Filling gaps in female gout: A cross-sectional study of comorbidities in 192 037 hospitalized patients. RMD Open. Published Online: June 9, 2023. DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2023-003191