Gender characteristics of gout and differences in response to taking xanthioxidase inhibitors

Introduction. To date, there is no consensus regarding the gender characteristics of the course of gout. There is little data on the possible difference between men and women in response to uric acid-lowering therapy.

Aim. To compare the clinical characteristics of the course of gout and evaluate the differences in response to urate-lowering therapy (ULT) with allopurinol and febuxostat in men and women.

Material and methods. The retrospective cohort study included 279 men and 83 women diagnosed with gout (ACR/EULAR, 2015). The comparative analysis of the clinical characteristics of gout, as well as responses to the intake of xanthioxidase (XO) inhibitors in representatives of different sexes, was carried out. We compared the gender characteristics of obtaining a positive response to ULT, defined as achieving a target serum uric acid (sUA) level of < 360 μmol / l within 6 months of treatment, while taking allopurinol and febuxostat.

Results. By the age at which the onset of gout took place, women were older than men, the duration of the disease in them was shorter. Men showed a shorter duration of the first attack of arthritis. Chronic arthritis was diagnosed in 56% of men and 35% of women (p < 0.05). The process involved the joints of both the lower and upper extremities. However, more often the joints of the lower extremities were affected in men, and in the upper extremities in women. Tophus were detected in 35% of patients, of whom 30.3% were men, 4.7% were women (p < 0.05). Allopurinol was prescribed to 216 men and 54 women, and febuxostat was prescribed to 63 men and 29 women. After six months, the proportion of women who achieved the target sUA was 57.5% and 65.8%, the proportion of men – 60.4% and 76.2% for allopurinol and febuxostat, respectively.

Conclusion. The clinical manifestations of gout in men and women differ. Due to the pronounced increase in the level of uric acid, men develop more severe joint damage due to the tendency to chronicity. However, the study did not reveal gender differences in the response to XO inhibitors, which indicates that there is no need to choose therapy depending on the patient’s gender.

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