Gout Information

Poor kidney function or kidney disease

Any disorder of the kidney reduces its ability to filter and eliminate uric acid. Whether kidney disease will produce hyperuricemia, however, depends to some extent on the concentration of uric acid in the blood prior to the onset of the disease. If the concentration was low and there was only a modest rise with the onset of disease, levels may remain within the normal range. If concentration was towards the upper end of normal, kidney disease is likely to lead to the development of hyperuricemia.

In cases where kidney disease is resolved and function returns to normal, uric acid levels may also return to normal. Of course, this depends also on the weight of the individual, their diet, alcohol intake and many other things.

Diseases of the kidney that can produce hyperuricemia are polycystic kidney disease, kidney disease due to lead poisoning in childhood and kidney disease due to excessive consumption of painkillers. Kidney disease in gout needs the specialized training of a rheumatologist.

Being overweight

Studies have shown that people who are overweight are more likely to have raised levels of uric acid in their blood than people who are not. In fact, being overweight is recognized as the most common cause of hyperuricemia. When weight is lost, the ability of the kidneys to pass out uric acid has been shown to improve. Also, uric acid in the blood reduces and high blood pressure can moderate. It can be seen, then, that weight has a significant impact on hyperuricemia and ultimately gout.

High levels of fats (lipids) in the bloodstream

The levels of fats in the blood are no higher in people with gout than in people with other diseases. However, it is thought that approximately half of the gout population have a condition called hypertriglyceridemia - raised levels of triglycerides in the blood (triglycerides are made up of glycerol and fatty acids). The main causes of raised triglyceride concentration in the blood are being overweight (eating a diet that is high in fats) and alcohol consumption, both of which are capable of raising levels of uric acid. Unfortunately, hypertriglyceridemia can lead to diabetes and heart disease, so should really be tackled. Correction of the cause of hypertriglyceridemia can lower levels of uric acid in the blood.

Regular, excessive alcohol consumption

There is a clear association between alcohol consumption and hyperuricemia. In fact after body weight it has the strongest correlation with levels of uric acid in the blood. Studies have shown higher than average concentrations of uric acid in individuals who drink more than two units of alcohol on a regular basis. They have also shown significant drops in concentration when the person cuts down on the amount they drink.