title: Achieving serum urate targets in gout: an audit in a gout-oriented rheumatology practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the proportion of patients with gout who achieve target serum urate levels, the drug regime required and the reasons for failing to do so.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the files of all patients with gout who presented to a gout-oriented rheumatology practice between January 2010 and September 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and thirty patients agreed to commence urate lowering therapy (ULT); 73% achieved their urate target, including 74% with non-tophaceous gout (target ≤ 0.36 mmol/L) and 71% with tophi (target ≤ 0.30 mmol/L). Of the 62 who failed to reach target, in 61 it was due to non-adherence and in one due to inefficacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adherence remains the major challenge to successful long-term gout management.
authors.affiliation: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth J M
authors.initials: EJM
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Peta
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pentony
authors.affiliation: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Department of Rheumatology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Neil W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: McGill
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D057915:Drug Substitution; D000069465:Febuxostat / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006073:Gout / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006074:Gout Suppressants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D055118:Medication Adherence; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011339:Probenecid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000592:standards*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006074:Gout Suppressants; D000069465:Febuxostat; D014527:Uric Acid; D000493:Allopurinol; D011339:Probenecid
keywords: adherence; gout; urate