title: Gouty arthritis in acute cerebrovascular disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gouty arthritis is a metabolic disorder associated with several medical diseases and is considered as a high-risk factor of acute myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality. Since no study has assessed the frequency of gout attack in acute-stroke patients, a retrospective analysis of gouty arthritis in stroke patients was performed to identify the frequency and characteristics of gouty arthritis in hospitalized stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the data of 920 patients admitted to the neurology ward of the Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between 2002 and 2005 with ischemic stroke. The frequency of gouty arthritis in these patients was evaluated. The severity of the risk factors was compared between the patients with gout and those without.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of gouty arthritis in the stroke patients was 6.5%. Most patients had an attack of gout within 9 days of admission. History of gout, uric acid level and hypercholesterolemia were independent risk factors of gout attack during acute stroke. The duration of acute-ward stay was longer in patients with gout than in those without (17.17 vs. 14.01 days, p = 0.016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our retrospective study demonstrated that gout attack is not uncommon in acute-stroke patients and may result in longer duration of acute-ward stay.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chiayi branch, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Ya-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Huan-Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Ying-Chih
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wen-Yi
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yen-Chu
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tsong-Hai
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jiann-Der
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015210:Arthritis, Gouty / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors