Survey of Current Trends for Diagnosis and Treatment in Korean Gout Patients

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of gout has increased so accurate diagnosis and constant treatment is important in its management. The purpose this study was to examine the current trends in the diagnosis and treatment of gout patients in Korea. METHODS: We enrolled patients who were diagnosed as having gout and received treatment in university hospital between 2005 and 2008. From the survey, we assessed and analyzed the patient's baseline characteristics, clinical aspects of gout attack, medical institution and specialized department in the first gouty attack, medical institution and specialized department where the gout was initially diagnosed, methods of diagnosis, treatment during gout attack, and knowledge about gout in patients. RESULTS: A total of 136 patients were included in this study, out of which 123 (90.4%) were male and the mean age was 55.2 (range 25~85) years. When patients experienced the first gout attack, the most common medical institution that they attended was a private clinic and the most common specialized department was orthopedics. Medication by oral route was the major method (80.9%) used for the treatment of gout, and the most common medication was a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in 55.9%, allopurinol in 38.2% and colchicine in 20.6% of patients. Many gout patients inappropriately received allopurinol following signs of gout arthritis attack, with little information specifically about gout. CONCLUSION: In our survey, many gout patients received inadequate medications for the treatment of gout and had little knowledge about the disease. For the adequate treatment of gout, patients and doctors need to be educated sufficiently.