ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the association between hyperuricemia, comorbid diseases and risk of developing gout disease in a Turkish population in a long follow-up period. METHODS: A total of 2000 Turkish adults were cross-sectionally analysed for serum urate levels in 2009 at the Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine. All patients on regular follow-up at our tertiary health center (n=1322) were included in this study. Demographic features (age and gender), comorbid clinical conditions, and medication use were noted. The risk of developing gout and the determinant factors were investigated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to analyse causative effects of factors while receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify optimal cut-off values of uric acid level for predicting the development of gout. RESULTS: Among 1322 patients, the mean age was 56.9 (SD:14.68) years. 57.3% (n=758) of the patients were female. The most common co-morbid disease was chronic kidney disease (581, 43%), followed by hypertension (522, 39.4%). Gout developed in 25 patients (1.8%). Gout development risk and presence of all the above comorbidities were significantly higher in patients with serum urate ≥7mg/dl compared with <7mg/dl. Male gender and not using urate lowering drugs were the main risk factors for developing gout disease. ROC analysis of serum uric acid levels identified a cut-off value of >7 (AUC: 0.776, sensitivity 86.96%, specificity 66.74%). CONCLUSION: There is still a dilemma concerning the culprit effects of both comorbidities and hyperuricemia on the risk of developing gout disease.
ABSTRACT
Background. A large number of comparative studies have been conducted for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), including disease burden, treatment modalities and patient characteristics. The aim of this study was to compare physician related diagnostic delay time between patients with AS and nr-axSpA. Methods. In our retrospective study we included 266 patients with axSpA. Patients were classified into two subgroups, AS and nr-axSpA. The time from back pain onset until diagnosis of axSpA was defined as the diagnostic delay. The first specialist referred to and the first diagnosis for each patient was noted in detail. Patient characteristics, clinical manifestations and laboratory and imaging results at diagnosis were also compared between subgroups. Results. The diagnostic delay time was significantly longer for AS patients [6 ± 8.14 years vs 1.62 ± 2.54 years]. 40.9% of all patients were initially consulted by specialists in physical therapy and rehabilitation, followed by 29.7% consulted by a neurosurgeon and 19.9% by a rheumatologist. The most common initial diagnosis was fibromyalgia, 52.6% (140), followed by ankylosing spondylitis, 28.9% (77), and lumbar disc hernia, 12.7% (34). Conclusion. The vast majority of patients were initially evaluated by healthcare providers other than rheumatologists and mostly diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Efforts to increase awareness and to educate first healthcare providers may shorten the diagnostic delay time.
