ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to assess the effects of over ten years of antihyper-uricemic follow-up therapy on 65 patients out of 118 cases of primary gout. It was found that reduced tophaceous deposition correlated with normalization of the serum uric acid concentration. The patients with lower mean uric acid concentrations were more likely to have a reduction in tophi. There was a lack of correlation between mean serum uric acid concentrations and radiographic changes of gout. Although treatment allowed better control of the disease in general, serum uric acid concentration alone may not provide an effective means of monitoring the progression of the disease. In this series,antihyperuricemic agents were generally well tolerated. Gastrointestinal upset was seen in 13 of the 65 cases (20%),mild leukopenia in 6 patients. skin rash in 2 and herpes simplex in 1. No patient was withdrawn from the therapy owing to the untoward side effects.