Prevalence of crystal deposits in asymptomatic hyperuricemia according to different scanning definitions: A comparative study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The appropriate sonographic protocol for assessing urate crystal deposits in asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AH) is undefined, as well as how the choice would impact on deposit rates and accompanying sonographic, clinical and laboratory features. METHODS: Patients with AH (serum urate ≥7 mg/dL) underwent musculoskeletal ultrasound of 10 locations for OMERACT elementary gout lesions (double contour [DC] signs, tophi, aggregates). Different definitions for AH with deposits were applied, varying according to deposits (any deposits; only DC and/or tophi); gradation (any grade; only grade 2-3 deposits), location (10 locations; 4-joint scheme including knees and 1MTPs; >1 location with deposits), or pre-defined definitions (DC sign in femoral condyles/1MTP and/or tophi in 1MTP). We evaluated crystal deposits rates and compared between other sonographic features, clinical and laboratory variables. RESULTS: Seventy-seven participants with AH showed a median 1 location (IQR 0-2) with tophi, 1 (IQR 1-2) with aggregates, and 0 locations (IQR 0-1) with DC sign. The deposition rate ranged from 23.4% (in >1 location with grade 2-3 DC or tophi) to 87.0% (in any deposit in all 10 locations). Accompanying inflammation - assessed by a positive power-Doppler (PD) signal - and erosions were found in 19.5% and 28.4% of participants, respectively. Positive PD signal was better discriminated by criteria requiring grade 2-3 or >1 location with lesions. Erosions and the different clinical and laboratory variables were similar among protocols. CONCLUSION: Rates of sonographic deposition in AH varied dramatically among studied protocols, while some could discriminate accompanying inflammation, all highlighting the need for a validated, consensus-based definition.

Riesgo de fracturas vertebrales dorsales osteoporóticas en pacientes con gota / Risk of osteoporotic thoracic vertebral fractures in patients with gout

Objetivos: La osteoporosis causa gran morbilidad y mortalidad por el desarrollo de fracturas por fragilidad, entre ellas las vertebrales. Los pacientes con gota podrían mostrar un incremento de riesgo de fracturas osteoporóticas debido a una mayor resorción ósea por un estado inflamatorio producido por los cristales de urato. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el riesgo de fracturas vertebrales dorsales osteoporóticas asociado a padecer gota. Métodos: Estudio transversal realizado con pacientes ingresados por evento cardiovascular. Se seleccionaron pacientes con radiografía torácica lateral reciente al ingreso o en los seis meses previos, que fueron revisadas de forma simultánea por dos observadores desconocedores de los datos clínicos. Se definió fractura vertebral como reducción de la altura vertebral ≥20%, registrando su presencia, número y grado mediante la escala semicuantitativa de Genant. Para analizar la relación entre gota y fractura vertebral, se calculó la odds ratio (OR) con intervalo de confianza al 95% (IC 95%) mediante regresión logística múltiple. Resultados: Seleccionamos 126 pacientes, de los que 21 (16,67%) padecían gota. Se detectaron 18 casos con fracturas, siendo la prevalencia 14,3%. Se encontró una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre gota y fractura vertebral (28,6% gota, 11,4% no gota; OR 3,10, IC 95% 1,01-9,52). No hubo mayor número de fracturas por grupos, y la severidad fue superior en los controles. La asociación entre gota y fractura vertebral persistió tras ajuste multivariante (OR 5,21, IC 95% 1,32-20,61). Conclusión: Se ha identificado una asociación independiente entre gota y fracturas vertebrales dorsales radiográficas en pacientes con evento cardiovascular.(AU)

Objectives: Osteoporosis causes significant morbidity and mortality by the development of fragility fractures, including vertebral fractures. Patients with gout may show an increased risk of osteoporotic fractures, as accelerated bone resorption is likely linked to urate crystal-led inflammatory state. This study aims to evaluate the risk of osteoporotic dorsal vertebral fractures associated with gout. Methods: Cross-sectional study carried out in patients admitted for cardiovascular events. Patients with available lateral view of chest radiography (on admission or in the previous six months) were selected. Two observers blinded to clinical data reviewed the radiographies simultaneously. Vertebral fracture was defined as a vertebral height loss ≥20%, and presence, number, and severity (by Genant semi-quantitative scale) were registered. To analyse the relationship between gout and the presence of vertebral fractures, the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was calculated by multiple logistic regression. Results: 126 patients were analysed, 21 of them (16.67%) suffered from gout. Eighteen cases with fractures were detected, with a prevalence of 14.3%. A significant association was found between gout and vertebral fracture (28.6% gout, 11.4% controls; OR 3.10, 95%CI 1.01-9.52). There were no differences in the number of fractures, while the severity was found to be higher in the controls. The association between gout and vertebral fracture persisted after multivariate adjustment (OR 5.21, 95% CI 1.32-20.61). Conclusion: An independent association between gout and radiological thoracic vertebral fractures was revealed in patients with a cardiovascular event.(AU)

Risk of osteoporotic thoracic vertebral fractures in patients with gout.

OBJECTIVES: Osteoporosis causes significant morbidity and mortality by the development of fragility fractures, including vertebral fractures. Patients with gout may show an increased risk of osteoporotic fractures, as accelerated bone resorption is likely linked to urate crystal-led inflammatory state. This study aims to evaluate the risk of osteoporotic dorsal vertebral fractures associated with gout. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out in patients admitted for cardiovascular events. Patients with available lateral view of chest radiography (on admission or in the previous six months) were selected. Two observers blinded to clinical data reviewed the radiographies simultaneously. Vertebral fracture was defined as a vertebral height loss ≥20%, and presence, number, and severity (by Genant semi-quantitative scale) were registered. To analyse the relationship between gout and the presence of vertebral fractures, the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was calculated by multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: 126 patients were analysed, 21 of them (16.67%) suffered from gout. Eighteen cases with fractures were detected, with a prevalence of 14.3%. A significant association was found between gout and vertebral fracture (28.6% gout, 11.4% controls; OR 3.10, 95%CI 1.01-9.52). There were no differences in the number of fractures, while the severity was found to be higher in the controls. The association between gout and vertebral fracture persisted after multivariate adjustment (OR 5.21, 95% CI 1.32-20.61). CONCLUSION: An independent association between gout and radiological thoracic vertebral fractures was revealed in patients with a cardiovascular event.

Risk of osteoporotic thoracic vertebral fractures in patients with gout. / Riesgo de fracturas vertebrales dorsales osteoporóticas en pacientes con gota.

OBJECTIVES: Osteoporosis causes significant morbidity and mortality by the development of fragility fractures, including vertebral fractures. Patients with gout may show an increased risk of osteoporotic fractures, as accelerated bone resorption is likely linked to urate crystal-led inflammatory state. This study aims to evaluate the risk of osteoporotic dorsal vertebral fractures associated with gout. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out in patients admitted for cardiovascular events. Patients with available lateral view of chest radiography (on admission or in the previous six months) were selected. Two observers blinded to clinical data reviewed the radiographies simultaneously. Vertebral fracture was defined as a vertebral height loss ≥20%, and presence, number, and severity (by Genant semi-quantitative scale) were registered. To analyse the relationship between gout and the presence of vertebral fractures, the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was calculated by multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: 126 patients were analysed, 21 of them (16.67%) suffered from gout. Eighteen cases with fractures were detected, with a prevalence of 14.3%. A significant association was found between gout and vertebral fracture (28.6% gout, 11.4% controls; OR 3.10, 95%CI 1.01-9.52). There were no differences in the number of fractures, while the severity was found to be higher in the controls. The association between gout and vertebral fracture persisted after multivariate adjustment (OR 5.21, 95% CI 1.32-20.61). CONCLUSION: An independent association between gout and radiological thoracic vertebral fractures was revealed in patients with a cardiovascular event.