title: Characteristics of gouty arthritis in the Guatemalan population.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of gouty arthritis in an urban Guatemalan population. We reviewed the medical records of 148 (145 males and 3 females) patients with a diagnosis of acute gouty attack seen at an urban rheumatology clinic in Guatemala City between 1982 and 1993. Mean age at diagnosis was 49 years (range 21-87), mean age of onset was 42 years, mean duration of disease 7.4 years, family history of gout 42 (28%), peak prevalence 5th decade 39 (26%). Seventy-one (48%) had monarticular, 49 (33%) oligoarticular, and 22 (15%) polyarticular attacks, respectively. Podagra was seen in 34 (23%) patients; however, 108 (73%) developed it at any moment of their life. Tophaceous gout was seen in 33 (22%). Mean serum urate concentrations (enzymatic method) were higher than 7.0 mg % in 90 (60%) patients. At follow-up, 44 (30%) patients never returned to our clinic, and a large majority of them [66 (45%)] were seen only during acute attacks. Associated disorders included hypertension (43%), obesity (27%), nephrolithiasis (16%), ischaemic heart disease (7%), renal insufficiency (2%), stroke (0.6%), and diabetes mellitus (0.6%), and two died due to sepsis; high alcoholic intake was found in 58 (39%) patients. In conclusion, our findings indicate that gout is not an unusual disorder in the Guatemalan population. It presents with the same characteristics as those reported in Caucasians, with the possible exception of a lower frequency of diabetes mellitus as an associated disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, LSU Medical Centre, New Orleans, USA.
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Kutzbach
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Espinoza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015210:Arthritis, Gouty / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006166:Guatemala / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents