Elucidating the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis in hyperuricemia and gout:Insights and therapeutic strategies

Hyperuricemia(HUA)is a condition associated with a high concentration of uric acid(UA)in the bloodstream and can cause gout and chronic kidney disease.The gut microbiota of patients with gout and HUA is significantly altered compared to that of healthy people.This article focused on the complex interconnection between alterations in the gut microbiota and the development of this disorder.Some studies have suggested that changes in the composition,diversity,and activity of microbes play a key role in establishing and progressing HUA and gout pathogenesis.Therefore,we discussed how the gut microbiota contributes to HUA through purine metabolism,UA excretion,and intestinal inflammatory responses.We examined specific changes in the composition of the gut microbiota associated with gout and HUA,highlighting key bacterial taxa and the metabolic pathways involved.Additionally,we discussed the effect of conventional gout treatments on the gut microbiota composition,along with emerging therapeutic approaches that target the gut microbiome,such as the use of probiotics and prebiotics.We also provided insights into a study regarding the gut microbiota as a possible novel therapeutic intervention for gout treatment and dysbiosis-related diagnosis.

Gouty destruction of a patellar tendon reconstruction and novel revision reconstruction technique: A case report

BACKGROUND Gout is a disease characterized by hyperuricemia,and resultant deposition of uric acid crystals in tissues.While typically manifested as intraarticular crystals or tophi,gout can also cause pathology at entheses.Gouty deposition within tendinous structures put them at risk for traumatic and degenerative rupture.Furthermore,allografts can also be at risk of rupture in the setting of severe gout.We present the case of a 56-year-old female with severe gouty disease who sustained a re-rupture of a patellar tendon allograft reconstruction.CASE SUMMARY A 56-year-old female presented to clinic after feeling her left knee pop and collapse beneath her while descending stairs.She had a history of tophaceous gout and left patellar tendon rupture with reconstruction and multiple revisions over the course of 19 years.This patient presented with pain and extensor lag.A magnetic resonance image demonstrated a ruptured patellar tendon allograft reconstruction and avulsion fracture at the tibial tubercle.The patient was treated with a novel intervention of Achilles allograft with bone block in a unique configuration with a dermal allograft incorporated into the reconstruction.She was made non-weight bearing in the operative extremity in extension for the first four weeks postoperatively and was then progressed to active flexion over the course of eight weeks.At twelve weeks,she was able to fully extend her operative knee and at five months she was resuming her normal activities and exercises.CONCLUSION Failed patellar tendon reconstruction due to gouty infiltration is treated with dermal allograft augmented Achilles tendon reconstruction with bone block.

Concomitant atypical knee gout and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis:A case report

BACKGROUND Gout and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis(SNRA)are two distinct inflammatory joint diseases whose co-occurrence is relatively infrequently reported.Limited information is available regarding the clinical management and prognosis of these combined diseases.CASE SUMMARY A 57-year-old woman with a 20-year history of joint swelling,tenderness,and morning stiffness who was negative for rheumatoid factor and had a normal uric acid level was diagnosed with SNRA.The initial regimen of methotrexate,leflunomide,and celecoxib alleviated her symptoms,except for those associated with the knee.After symptom recurrence after medication cessation,her regimen was updated to include iguratimod,methotrexate,methylprednisolone,and folic acid,but her knee issues persisted.Minimally invasive needle-knife scope therapy revealed proliferating pannus and needle-shaped crystals in the knee,indicating coexistent SNRA and atypical knee gout.After postarthroscopic surgery to remove the synovium and urate crystals,and following a tailored regimen of methotrexate,leflunomide,celecoxib,benzbromarone,and allopurinol,her knee symptoms were significantly alleviated with no recurrence observed over a period of more than one year,indicating successful management of both conditions.CONCLUSION This study reports the case of a patient concurrently afflicted with atypical gout of the knee and SNRA and underscores the significance of minimally invasive joint techniques as effective diagnostic and therapeutic tools in the field of rheumatology and immunology.

Research Progress of Dai and Western Medicine in the Treatment of Gouty Arthritis

This paper reviews the pathogenesis,diagnostic criteria,and treatment means of gouty arthritis from the perspectives of Western medicine and Dai medicine in order to provide a reference for clinical medication.

Gout: A Possible Cause of Lumbal Canal Stenosis. Cases Report in Sub-Saharan Area and Literature Review

Introduction: Gout is defined as an arthritic condition resulting from the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in and/or around joints, following long-standing hyperuricemia. This may cause gouty arthritis in joints and tophi in soft tissues. Spinal gout is rare and never mentioned in our context. It can appear as acute back pain, radiculopathy, spinal cord compression, spondylodiscitis or neoplasic/infectious epiduritis. Our aim was to share our surgical experience and proceed of a Literature review. Cases Presentation: Between January and August 2022, two patients male were surgically cared, aged of 42 and 60 years old. The gout was unknown in the youngest and poorly followed in the eldest. There was no past medical history of tuberculosis or immunodeficiency in both. The early diagnosis retained was unspecific lumbar spondylodiscitis due to clinical features: Patients complained both of lower back pain with initial fever. It was of a progressive left L5S1 deficit with erectile defect and dysuria in the first case and a progressive paraplegia without sphincter disorders in the second case. We proceeded with a lumbar laminectomy with a biopsy on both patients. The spinal tophus was ligamentous in one case and arthro-ligamentous in the other. There was a progressive motor recovery from postoperative Day-2 till postoperative Month-1. A probabilistic antituberculosis treatment was promptly initiated postoperatively based on radioclinic features while waiting for histologic proof. The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was negative and the histology was of a chronic calcified osteitis with dense fibrosis in both. The anti-gout treatment was implemented after 15 days with blood test evidence. A rheumatologic follow-up was also initiated and adjuvant physio-therapy. The results were very satisfactory from 4 - 6 months with independent walking. Discussion Conclusion: Spinal Gout may be suggested in 40-male-old faced with any acute rachialgia with neuro deficit with dubious neuro-imaging.

Gouty tenosynovitis with compartment syndrome in the hand: A case report

BACKGROUND Gout is a common type of inflammatory arthritis caused by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in the joints and surrounding tissues.It typically appears with abrupt and intense pain,redness,and swelling in the affected joint.It frequently targets the lower extremities,such as the big toe.However,rarely,gout can manifest in atypical locations,including the hands,leading to an uncommon presentation known as gouty tenosynovitis.However,it can result in significant morbidity owing to the potential for severe complications,such as myonecrosis and compartment syndrome.CASE SUMMARY An 82-year-old male patient with a history of hypertension,cerebral infarction,Parkinson's disease,and recurrent gout attacks sought medical attention because of progressive pain and swelling in the right hand.Imaging findings revealed forearm swelling,raising concerns of possible tenosynovitis,bursitis,septic arthritis,and compartment syndrome.A fasciotomy was performed to decompress the patient’s hands and forearms.The procedure revealed diffuse tenosynovitis,tophi with a pus-like discharge surrounding the carpal tunnel,and involvement of the flexor and extensor tendon sheaths.However,microbiological investigations,including Gram staining,acid-fast bacilli,tuberculosis,and nontuberculous mycobacteria,yielded negative results.The patient was ultimately diagnosed with a severe gouty attack with compartment syndrome and myonecrosis.Septic arthritis and infectious flexor tenosynovitis were ruled out.Serial debridement and inflammation control were initiated,followed by staged closure with a skin graft.CONCLUSION Septic-like complications can occur in the absence of infection in severe gout attacks with pus-like discharges due to compartment syndrome and myonecrosis.Cultures can be used to differentiate between gouty attacks,septic arthritis,and infectious tenosynovitis.Involvement of the flexor and extensor muscles,as in this case,is rare.This study contributes to the literature by reporting a rare case of successful fasciotomy and serial debridement in an elderly patient with multiple comorbidities.

Highly specific characterization and discrimination of monosodium urate crystals in gouty arthritis based on aggregation-induced emission luminogens

Existing technologies used to detect monosodium urate(MSU)crystals for gout diagnosis are not ideal due to their low sensitivity and complexity of operation.The purpose of this study was to explore whether aggregation-induced emission luminogens(AIEgens)can be used for highly specific imaging of MSU crystals to assist in the diagnosis of gout.First,we developed a series of luminogens(i.e.,tetraphenyl ethylene(TPE)-NH_(2),TPE-2NH_(2),TPE-4NH_(2),TPE-COOH,TPE-2COOH,TPE-4COOH,and TPE-Ketoalkyne),each of which was then evenly mixed with MSU crystals.Next,optimal fluorescence imaging of each of the luminogens was characterized by a confocal laser scanning microscope(CLSM).This approach was used for imaging standard samples of MSU,hydroxyapatite(HAP)crystals,and mixed samples with 1:1 mass ratio of MSU/HAP.We also imaged samples from mouse models of acute gouty arthritis,HAP deposition disease,and comorbidities of interest.Subsequently,CLSM imaging results were compared with those of compensated polarized light microscopy,and we assessed the biosafety of TPE-Ketoalkyne in the RAW264.7 cell line.Finally,CLSM time series and three-dimensional imaging were performed on MSU crystal samples from human gouty synovial fluid and tophi.As a promising candidate for MSU crystal labeling,TPE-Ketoalkyne was found to detect MSU crystals accurately and rapidly in standard samples,animal samples,and human samples,and could precisely distinguish gout from HAP deposition disease.This work demonstrates that TPE-Ketoalkyne is suitable for highly specific and timely imaging of MSU crystals in gouty arthritis and may facilitate future research on MSU crystal-related diseases.

Causal Association Between Tea Consumption and Gout:A Mendelian Randomization Study

Objective Evidence from prospective studies on the consumption of tea and risk of gout is conflicting and limited.We aimed to investigate the potential causal effects of tea intake on gout using Mendelian randomization(MR).Methods Genome-wide association studies in UK Biobank included 349376 individuals and successfully discovered single-nucleotide polymorphisms linked to consumption of one cup of tea per day.Summary statistics from the Chronic Kidney Disease Genetics consortium included 13179 cases and 750634 controls for gout.Two-sample MR analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between tea consumption and gout risk.The inverse-variance weighted(IVW)method was used for primary analysis,and sensitivity analyses were also conducted to validate the potential causal effect.Results In this study,the genetically predicted increase in tea consumption per cup was associated with a lower risk of gout in the IVW method(OR:0.90;95%CI:0.82–0.98).Similar results were found in weighted median methods(OR:0.88;95%CI:0.78–1.00),while no significant associations were found in MR-Egger(OR:0.89;95%CI:0.71–1.11),weighted mode(OR:0.80;95%CI:0.65–0.99),and simple mode(OR:1.01;95%CI:0.75–1.36).In addition,no evidence of pleiotropy was detected by MR-Egger regression(P=0.95)or MR-PRESSO analysis(P=0.07).Conclusion This study provides evidence for the daily consumption of an extra cup of tea to reduce the risk of gout.

Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and motor dysfunction caused by gout and type 2 diabetes:A case report

BACKGROUND Carpal tunnel syndrome(CTS)has been associated with gout and type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).However,due to insufficient clinical understanding of goutrelated CTS and reliance on the diagnostic importance of elevated serum uric acid levels,such cases are prone to missed diagnosis,misdiagnosis,and delayed treatment.In addition,the effect of T2DM on gout-induced carpal tunnel syndrome has not been reported.CASE SUMMARY Herein,we present an unusual case of CTS and motor dysfunction caused by miliary tophaceous gout and T2DM.The patient presented to the hand and foot clinic with paresthesia of the fingers of both hands,especially at night.The patient was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes a month ago.Ultrasonography revealed bilateral transverse carpal ligament thickening with median nerve compression during hospitalization.The patient was successfully treated with carpal tunnel decompression and tendon release.The postoperative pathological examination revealed typical gout nodules.This case suggests that the presence of T2DM could accelerate tophi formation and worsen CTS symptoms,although no definitive proof in this regard has been described previously.CONCLUSION Tophi formation may most likely cause the co-occurrence of CTS and flexor dysfunction in gout and incipient diabetes patients.

Outcomes of gout in patients with cirrhosis:A national inpatient sample-based study

BACKGROUND Hyperuricemia is a prerequisite for the development of gout.Elevated serum uric acid(UA)levels result from either overproduction or decreased excretion.A positive correlation between serum UA levels,cirrhosis-related complications and the incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has been established,but it is unknown whether hyperuricemia results in worsening cirrhosis outcomes.We hypothesize that patients with cirrhosis will have poorer gout outcomes.AIM To explore the link between cirrhosis and the incidence of gout-related complications.METHODS This was a cross-sectional study.The national inpatient sample was used to identify patients hospitalized with gout,stratified based on a history of cirrhosis,from 2001 to 2013 via the International Classification of Diseases,Ninth Revision,Clinical Modification codes.Primary outcomes were mortality,gout complications and joint interventions.Theχ^(2)test and independent t-test were performed to assess categorical and continuous data,respectively.Multiple logistic regression was used to control for confounding variables.RESULTS Patients without cirrhosis were older(70.37±13.53 years vs 66.21±12.325 years;P<0.05).Most patients were male(74.63%in the cirrhosis group vs 66.83%;adjusted P<0.05).Patients with cirrhosis had greater rates of mortality(5.49%vs 2.03%;adjusted P<0.05),gout flare(2.89%vs 2.77%;adjusted P<0.05)and tophi(0.97%vs 0.75%;adjusted P=0.677).Patients without cirrhosis had higher rates of arthrocentesis(2.45%vs 2.21%;adjusted P<0.05)and joint injections(0.72%vs 0.52%;adjusted P<0.05).CONCLUSION Gout complications were more common in cirrhosis.Those without cirrhosis had higher rates of interventions,possibly due to hesitancy with performing these interventions given the higher complication risk in cirrhosis.

Rare Association between Chronic Tophaceous Gout and Rheumatoid Arthritis in a Black African Subject: A Case Report

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and gout are common diseases, but their coexistence is rare. We describe the case of a 76-year-old man with hypertension who had been treated for gout for 20 years on allopurinol and colchicine. He was seen in consultation for deforming polyarthritis of the small and large joints, which had been evolving for about 2 years. The acute episode occurred 10 days earlier with the onset of bilateral and symmetrical polyarthritis affecting the large and small joints. The physical examination revealed a peripheral joint syndrome with ulnar gale force deformities of the hands and several buttonhole deformities of the fingers. In addition, there were nodules, some of which were fistulised, giving rise to a chalky slurry. The biology revealed an inflammatory syndrome in addition to rheumatoid factors and ACPA, which were elevated. Biological analysis of the nodular fluid revealed clusters of sodium urate crystals and ultrasound scans of the joints revealed a double-contour appearance in several joints. The diagnosis of RA was made using the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria. The patient was treated as an outpatient with corticosteroids before being put on methotrexate. It is important to understand that these two conditions can occur at the same time, so it is important to consider them when treating patients with gout or RA.

Zhou Lamei's Experience in Treating Gout

Chief physician Zhou Lamei performs diagnosis and treatment according to syndrome differentiation,and proposes the method of combining internal treatment with external treatment of traditional Chinese medicine and paying attention to the adjustment of eating habits and lifestyle,which has certain advantages in relieving acute attack,reducing uric acid,reducing gout complications caused by disease development and reducing adverse reactions of western medicine,and is of great significance to the treatment of gout onset and hyperuricemia control.

Integrating network pharmacology and molecular docking to explore the potential mechanism of Zanthoxylum bungeanum against gout

Background:Gout is an inflammatory joint disease.Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Zanthoxylum bungeanum(Z.bungeanum)has significant anti-inflammatory and osteoprotective effects.This study is aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of Z.bungeanum on gouty arthritis.Methods:Firstly,the compounds in the water extract of Z.bungeanum(WZB)were analyzed by UPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS/MS.The compounds and disease targets were predicted using SwissTargetPrediction platform and GeneCards database,and the candidate targets were acquired by taking the intersection.Next,the protein interaction network was constructed and the hub genes were screened using String platform and Cytoscape software.Gene Ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis of hub genes were performed using Metascape platform.Finally,the disease-pathway-target-drug-component network diagram was constructed to obtain the active components and targets for treating disease,and the affinity between components and targets were predicted by applying Discovery Studio software.In vitro,using an acute gout model of RAW 264.7 macrophages induced by Monosodium Urate to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of WZB on Gout.Meanwhile,we established a mice model of hyperuricemia and measured the serum xanthine oxidase(XOD)activity and uric acid(UA)contents.Results:A total of 20 chemical components were identified from WZB,mainly alkaloid components.The network pharmacology results showed that Dihydrobungeanool,Quercetin,Hydroxy-α-sanshool and Hydroxy-ɛ-sanshool were the main active components of WZB against gout.MAPK1,PIK3CA,EGFR and TLR1 proteins were the main targets of WZB in the treatment of gout.Pathways in cancer,PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,Th17 cell differentiation and MAPK signaling pathway were closely related to anti-gout.Molecular docking results have shown that Dihydrobungeanool may be the main active ingredient of WZB for gout treatment,and PIK3CA is the main potential target.The cellular gout model showed that WZB significantly reduced IL-1βand TNF-αinflammatory factor levels and influenced the expression of PI3K protein.In addition,WZB administration effectively reduced UA levels and XOD activity in the serum of mice with hyperuricemia.Conclusion:Our study results suggest that WZB could treat gout by acting on PIK3CA gene target to reduce the level of inflammatory factors,and reduce XOD activity to lower UA levels.

Research progress of traditional Chinese medicine compound in the treatment of gout based on intestinal flora

Because of the continuous improvement of the quality of life,the population of gout patients is also increasing,which seriously affects the quality of life of patients.Traditional Chinese medicine compound has a long history and remarkable clinical effect in treating gout patients,and has been widely used.Intestinal flora and its metabolites are the focus of current research,which can promote intestinal mucosal barrier,improve immunity and improve metabolism.The regulation of intestinal flora can reduce serum uric acid and inhibit inflammation to fight gouty arthritis.Moreover,the mechanism of intestinal flora is related to the spleen in Chinese medicine theory.Therefore,this study discusses the research mechanism and clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine compound in treating gout by regulating intestinal flora,and provides theoretical basis for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine and the expansion of new dosage forms.

Advance in Pathogenesis of Gout and Related Gene Polymorphism

Gout is an independent risk factor for hypertension,diabetes mellitus,hyperlipidemia,coronary heart disease and cerebral infarction.At present,the studies on the mechanism of gout at home and abroad have mainly focused on immune inflammation,gene polymorphism and related studies.Uric acid deposition or crystal precipitation activates phagocytes,fibroblasts and mast cells in synovium,produces IL-1β,TNF and chemokine IL-8(CXCL8),thereby activating neutrophils,urate crystal polyanion surface can be coated with immunoglobulins and other serum proteins as substrates for complement activation,complement substitution pathways and classical complement pathways to activate complements.Uric acid crystals activate inflammation-related signal transduction pathways including the activation of inflammation-related signal transduction pathway by uric acid crystals and TLRS/MyD88 signal transduction pathways.Gene polymorphism is related to inflammation and signaling pathway,EGF gene is closely related to gout inflammation,which may be involved in the regulation of gout inflammation,among which NLRP3 inflammatory signaling pathway and gene polymorphism have been deeply studied in the pathogenesis of gout,which is the main therapeutic target of anti-inflammatory and uric acid lowering.

Multiple gouty tophi in the head and neck with normal serum uric acid:A case report and review of literatures

BACKGROUND Gouty tophus is rarely reported in the head and neck areas.To the best of our knowledge,this is the first report on multiple gouty tophi in the head and neck with normal serum uric acid(SUA)levels.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of multiple gouty tophi in the nasal dorsal and auricle regions with normal SUA levels.The patient was admitted to the hospital with a chief complaint of recurrent nasal swelling and pain for 3 years,which was aggravated for 3 d.The patient’s SUA level had been regularly reviewed in the outpatient department and had been successfully controlled for several years.Resection of the nasal masses was performed.Cartilage from the right ear cavity was used to repair the nasal defects.The pathological report confirmed a nasal gouty tophus.No recurrence or deformity was found after a 1 year follow-up.CONCLUSION Normal SUA cannot completely negate the diagnosis of gouty tophus,especially in some rare regions.

Mechanism of Qingre Yangyin Chushi Pill in the treatment of gout based on NLRP3/GSDMD pyroptosis pathway

Background:The study was conducted with the interest of exploring the effects of Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill as anti-inflammatory agent in gout treatment based on the NLRP3/GSDMD coke death pathway.Methods:In this study,48 male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups,namely model group,blank control group(BC),Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill low-dose treatment group(MSD1),medium-dose treatment group(MSD2),high-dose treatment group(MSD3),and colchicine group(PC),with eight members in each group.The BC and model groups were administered with saline twice a day.The MSD1,MSD2,and MSD3 groups were administered with Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill at a dose of 1.8 g·kg^?1,3.6 g·kg^?1,and 7.2 g·kg^?1 twice a day.The colchicine group was administered with a colchicine suspension at a dose of 0.6×10^?3 g kg^?1 twice a day for 7 days.After gavage of animals in each group for 4 days,the rats'ankle joints were injected with sodium urate suspension×3 days to induce a gouty arthritis model.Then,serum and tissue samples were collected on the third and seventh day after gavage.The synovial tissue from the rat ankle joints was taken,and immunohistochemical technique was used to detect NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),inflammatory bodies,cysteine protease-1(Caspase-1),and Gasdermin-D protein(GSDMD)expression.Image-Pro Plus image analysis system was used to measure the average integrated absorbance and calculate IHS.Integral enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the interleukin 1β(IL-1β)and interleukin 18(IL-18)expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α).Western blot was used to detect NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC)expression levels.Results:After 48 hours of modeling,compared with the PC group,the arthritis indices of the MSD1,MSD2,and MSD3 groups were insignificant(P>0.05).The levels of IL-1β,IL-18,and TNF-αwere lower in the PC and MSD2 groups compared with the BC group.However,compared with the control group,MSD1,MSD2,and PC groups had lower levels of IL-1βand IL-18.Regarding TNF-αlevels(P<0.05);compared with the PC group,the levels of IL-1β,IL-18,and TNF-αin MSD2 decreased more significantly(P<0.05).The levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,ASC,IHS score,and mRNA were lower in the PC and MSD2 groups(P<0.05)compared with the control group.The MSD1 and MSD2 groups had lower levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,ASC protein levels,IHS points,and mRNA levels(P<0.05)compared with the PC group.Moreover,NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,ASC protein levels,IHS points,and mRNA levels were more reduced in the MSD2 group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill can inhibit the activation of the NLPR3 inflammatory complex,reduce the production of GSDMD protein,regulate the occurrence of pyroptosis,reduce the expression of inflammatory factors,and thus reduce arthritis.All these processes are achieved through the NLRP3/GSDMD pathway.

Three kinds of new pathogenies of gout in poultry

This paper reported three kinds of new pathogenies of gout： stress condition, inconsistent sexual maturity and relatively high protein feed.

Differences in Acute Phase Reactants between Gout and Pseudogout

Objectives: To define clinical differences in the acute phase response and serum acute phase reactants between gout, pseudogout and crystal-induced arthritis in the presence of non-articular infections (CAI). Patients and Methods: Eleven patients with definite gout, 12 patients with pseudogout and 5 patients with CIA were included in the study. Results: The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was significantly different between gout (68.2 ± 49.9 mm/Hr) and CIA (113.8 ± 37.2 mm/Hr) but not between gout and pseudogout (83.9 ± 45.6 mm/Hr) or between pseudogout and CIA. The C-reactive protein (CRP) was significantly increased between gout (10.1 ± 7.9 mg/dL) and pseudogout (18.9 ± 9.8 mg/dL), gout and CIA (36.5 ± 12.4 mg/dL) as well as between pseudogout and CIA. The peripheral white cell count was significantly different between gout (9.27 ± 3.7 k/μL) and CIA (16.5 ± 6.8 k/μL), and between pseudogout (8.9 ± 3.2 k/μL) and CIA. Conclusions: Measurement of ESR and CRP are helpful in crystal-induced arthritis. The CRP has more discriminating utility than the ESR in distinguishing between gout, pseudogout and CIA. Peripheral wbc is most useful for differentiating crystal-induced arthritis from CIA.

Chronic carpal tunnel syndrome caused by covert tophaceous gout: A case report

Carpal tunnel syndrome(CTS) is well recognized as the most common type of peripheral neuropathy. A rare cause of CTS is tophaceous gout. Tophi deposits can accumulate in various structures including the flexor tendons, tendon sheaths, the carpal tunnel floor, transverse carpal ligament, and even the median nerve, causing various symptoms such as pain, numbness, and weakness. Tophi forming in the carpal canal can compress the median nerve, leading to CTS. Here, we describe a 25-year-old male with a family history of tophaceous gout who presented with typical CTS symptoms. Although he had chronic numbness in his right hand, he failed to present with any obvious pal-pable masses on his forearm or hand. However, his family history, laboratory, clinical, and magnetic re-sonance imaging findings were consistent with tophi deposits. CTS symptoms were eased through surgical removal of tophi and decompression of the median nerve. No recurrences of gout and CTS symptoms were reported at a one-year follow-up. This case shows that CTS symptoms could be the initial manifestation of tophaceous gout. In patients with a family history of gout and with CTS symptoms, imaging examinations are critical for early diagnosis and selecting appropriate treatment. Surgical removal of "covert" tophi and decompression of the median nerve is an effective option for eliminating symptoms.