Gout.
BACKGROUND
Gout affects about 5% of men and 1% of women, with up to 80% of people experiencing a recurrent attack within 3 years.


METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of treatments for acute gout? What are the effects of treatments to prevent gout in people with prior acute episodes? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to June 2008 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).


RESULTS
We found 21 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.


CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: colchicine, corticosteroids, corticotrophin (ACTH), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), sulfinpyrazone, xanthine oxidase inhibitors, advice to lose weight, advice to reduce alcohol intake, advice to reduce dietary intake of purines.
Underwood
Martin
M
Warwick Medical School, Coventry, UK.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006073:Gout / Q000188:drug therapy; D006074:Gout Suppressants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D006074:Gout Suppressants; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003078:Colchicine