Frequency of Gouty Arthritis in Patients with End-stage Renal Disease in Japan

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate gouty arthritis in Japanese patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). METHODS: Questionnaires plus patient interviews and reviews of medical records were used to investigate gouty arthritis in 493 Japanese patients with ESRD receiving maintenance dialysis. RESULTS: The frequency of gouty arthritis was 4.1% for female patients and 15.4% for male patients greater than 2 years before the start of dialysis, and 0.6% for female patients and 7.7% for male patients less than 2 years before the start of dialysis. After the start of dialysis the frequency was 3.4% for the first 2 years and 1.2% thereafter in male patients, but no gouty arthritis appeared in female patients. Although the annual number of gouty attacks was 2.0+/-4.2 greater than 2 years before the start of dialysis, and 1.9+/-6.6 less than 2 years before the start of dialysis, the annual number of attacks decreased significantly after the start of dialysis to 0.2+/-0.7 in the first 2 years and 0.1+/-0.6 thereafter. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of gouty arthritis in Japanese patients with ESRD is similar to that of patients with hyperuricemia in the general population and it is decreased slightly before dialysis; however, the frequency decreases markedly after dialysis.