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Gout Q&As

Published by Bupa's health information team, August 2008.

Answers to questions about gout

This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.

 

I've been diagnosed with pseudogout. What's the difference between that and "real" gout?

Pseudogout is when the pain and swelling in your joint is caused by different crystals from the ones causing "real" gout.

Explanation

The crystals formed when you have pseudogout are not urate crystals, as they are with "real" gout. They are made of a calcium salt - calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate. Pseudogout is most common in people over 65. Any joint could be involved, but it's usually only one joint and is usually your knee. Men and women are affected by pseudogout in equal numbers.

An attack of pseudogout usually starts with severe pain, stiffness and swelling, reaching its worst in about a day and usually getting better within three weeks. You might have an attack of pseudogout without ever having had any other joint problems. Sometimes another illness can set off an attack of pseudogout, but often there is no apparent reason for one starting.

Painkillers, steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to treat pseudogout. If you think you may have pseudogout, contact your GP for advice.

Further information

Sources

  • O'Reilly SC, Doherty M. Oxford Textbook of Medicine. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005:69-77
  • Pseudogout and calcium crystal diseases. Arthritis Research Campaign. www.arc.org.uk, accessed 7 February 2008
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It's been in the news that fizzy drinks can cause gout. Is that true?

Researchers have recently done a study in men and found that the risk of men having gout is increased the more sweetened soft drinks they have.

Explanation

Canadian researchers looked at records of more than 45,000 men and checked how many developed gout and how many sweetened soft drinks they had over a period of 12 years. They have recently written about their study in the British Medical Journal. They found that there is a strong link between sugar-sweetened soft drinks, which contain large amounts of fructose (a type of sugar) and the risk of gout. The risk of gout was also increased in men who drank a lot of fruit juice, which also contains fructose. They didn't find any link between diet soft drinks and gout.

Further information

Sources

  • Soft drinks, fructose consumption, and the risk of gout in men: prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal. www.bmj.com, accessed 7 February 2008
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I have had a few attacks of gout and I am now taking allopurinol. Can I expect any serious side-effects?

In general there are no serious side-effects of allopurinol but when you take any medicine you should look out for anything unusual that happens and see your doctor if you are worried.

Explanation

You may get an attack of gout in the first few months after you start taking allopurinol (for more information see Prevention in the Gout factsheet). Your GP or rheumatologist (doctor specialising in conditions that affect the joints) may also have given you an NSAID or colchicine to take with the allopurinol to try to prevent these attacks (for more information see Prevention in the Gout factsheet).

People have occasionally developed a rash after taking allopurinol. You should tell your GP or your rheumatologist immediately if you have a rash. It's unusual to have serious side-effects with allopurinol but you should drink plenty of fluids, two to three litres a day if possible.

If you are at all worried about anything unusual when you are taking allopurinol for gout, you should see your doctor.

Further information

Sources

  • Joint Formulary Committee, British National Formulary. 54th ed. London: British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, 2007; 547-548
  • O'Reilly SC, Doherty M. Oxford Textbook of Medicine. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005:69-77
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Related topics

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This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Dr W H Simpson, MBBS, General Practitioner, and by Bupa doctors. It has also been reviewed by Arthritis Research Campaign. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Publication date: August 2008

 

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