Ultrasound in the diagnosis of asymptomatic hyperuricaemia and gout.
The increase in serum urate concentrations (hyperuricaemia, ≥7.0mg/dL) creates crystals, which promote inflammation and joint lesions. Ultrasonography can reveal these urate deposits. The presence of crystals suggests that a patient with hyperuricaemia is actually experiencing asymptomatic gout, and that a patient with gout without subcutaneous tophi could experience tophaceous gout. The information offered by ultrasound (double contour sign and hyperechoic concretions mimicking clouds) enables a more specific classification of hyperuricaemia and gout. Additionally, this information can lead to relevant changes in terms of the diagnosis and therapeutic approach for patients with hyperuricaemia and gout.
Unidad Metabólico-Vascular, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España. Electronic address: juangarciapuig@gmail.com.
J
J
García Puig
Unidad Metabólico-Vascular, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España.
L
L
Beltrán
Unidad Metabólico-Vascular, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España.
C
C
Mejía Chew
Servicio de Bioquímica Clínica, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario La Paz, IdiPAZ, Madrid, España.
R
R
Torres
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España.
D
D
Tebar Márquez
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, España.
A
A
Pose Reino
Double contour sign; Gota; Gout; Hiperuricemia; Hyperuricaemia; Signo del doble contorno; Tofos; Tophi