Objective.Determine the proportion of patients achieving target serum urate (SU), defined as < 6 mg/dl for patients with non-severe gout and < 5 mg/dl for patients with severe gout, as well as the proportion of patients achieving remission after 5 years of followup.Methods.Patients from the Gout Study Group (GRESGO) cohort were evaluated at 6-month intervals. Demographic and clinical data were obtained at baseline. Visits included assessments of serum urate, flares, tophus burden, health-related quality of life using the EQ-5D, activity limitations using the Health Assessment Questionnaire adapted for gout, and pain level and patient’s global assessment using visual analog scales. Treatment for gout and associated diseases was prescribed according to guidelines and available drugs.Results.Of 500 patients studied, 221 had severe gout (44%) and 279 had non-severe gout (56%) at baseline. No significant differences were observed across the study in percentages of severe gout versus non-severe gout patients achieving SU 6 mg/dl or 5 mg/dl. The highest proportion of patients achieving target SU (50–70%) and remission (39%) were found after 3–4 years of followup. In the fifth year, these proportions decreased and 28% of the patients were in remission, but only 40 patients remained in the study. None of the patients with severe gout achieved remission.Conclusion.In patients with severe gout, target SU was hard to achieve and remission was not possible. The main obstacles for target SU and gout remission include poor medication adherence, persistent tophi, and loss to followup.

Introduction Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis, but was not considered in most COVID-19 and rheumatic diseases reports. Our aim was to describe changes in clinical data, treatment, function and quality of life for gout patients during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Prospective, descriptive and analytical study of 101 consecutive gout (ACR/EULAR 2015) patients from our clinic evaluated during pandemic by phone call (n=52) or phone call + face-to-face (n=68) that accepted to participate. Variables are demographics, clinical and treatment data, HAQ, EQ5D questionnaires and COVID-19-related data. Patients were divided in two groups: flare (n=36) or intercritical gout (n=65) also; available pre-pandemic data was obtained from 71 patients. Statistical analyses are X 2 , paired t-test and Wilcoxon test. Results Included gout patients were males (95.8%), mean (SD) age 54.7 (10.7) years and disease duration 16.4 (9.8) years; 90% received allopurinol, 50% colchicine as prophylaxis and 25% suspended ≥ 1 medication. Comparison of pre-pandemic vs pandemic data showed > flares (4.4% vs 36%, p=0.01), more flares in the last 6 months: 0.31 (0.75) vs 1.71 (3.1), (p=0.004 and > urate levels: 5.6 (1.7)vs 6.7 (2.2) mg/dL, p=0.016. Unexpectedly, function and quality-of-life scores improved: HAQ score 0.65 (2.16) vs 0.12 (0.17), p= 0.001. Seven patients were COVID-19-confirmed cases; they had significantly more flares, higher urate levels and lower allopurinol doses and two died. Conclusions In gout patients, flares were 9 times more frequent during pandemic also, they had increased urate levels but led to an unexpected improvement in HAQ and functionality scores. Resilience and lifestyle changes in gout during COVID-19 pandemic require further studies. Key Points• COVID-19 pandemic is associated with 4 times more flares in gout patients. • Increased flares were also seen in previously well-controlled gout patients.• Increased serum urate levels were also found in gout patients during pandemic. • In our gout clinic, 8/101 patients were diagnosed as COVID-19+, and two of them died.

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We report the case of a 28-year-old woman with pain in the dorsal and lumbar spine of 2 years of evolution with a history of acne treatment with isotretinoin for 6 years. The findings by computed tomography showed skeletal vertebral hyperostosis. The use of vitamin A and its derivatives, such as isotretinoin, has been associated to the development of skeletal hyperostosis, and its severity seems to be related to the duration of treatment. Currently, the use of this drug is widespread in young patients with acne, even without medical prescription, unaware of the effects it can cause at the osteoarticular level.

Background:Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD), metabolic syndrome and hyperuricemia due to an increment in their incidence world-wide, but information regarding the 10-year estimated risk in gout vs. healthy subjects is scarce.Objectives:To assess baseline the 10-year cardiovascular risk and high-risk status in gout patients compared to healthy controls.Methods:Data from 494 gout paired to controls in a ratio of 1:1 matched with age, sex and body mass index (BMI) and stratified by normal (≤ 24.9 Kg/m2), overweight (25 - 29.9 Kg/m2) and obese (≥30 Kg/m2). Controls were asymptomatic subjects attending a preventive clinic in Mexico City. We used the Framingham Risk Score for Coronary Heart Disease (FRS-CHD) and the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (2013 ACC/AHA). Additionally, high risk status was defined according to pre-defined cutoff points for FRS-CHD (≥ 20%) and ACC/AHA 2013 (≥7.5%).Results:Data from 494 gout and 494 controls. Gout patients were male 97.4%, 47 (SD ± 13) years, mean BMI of 28.4 (SD ± 4.31) Kg/m2. Age, sex, and BMI and subgroups were equilibrated (p=NS). Gout patients had higher 10-year estimated risk vs. controls nevertheless, only FRS-CHD reached statistically significant difference with 9.38 vs. 7.5 ± 5.74 (p<0.001); For 2013 ACC/AHA 4.94 ± 6.16 vs. 5.23 ± 6.78, (p=0.49). Further stratification by BMI groups revealed that subjects with gout in normal and overweight categories were had higher risk vs. controls with FRS-CHD score of 8.86 ± 8.05 vs. 6.53 ± 6.41 (p=0.03) and 9.37 ± 7.72 vs. 7.89 ± 5.58 (p=0.01), respectively. No differences for 2013 ACC/AHA in global and BMI-stratified comparisons. Proportion of high-risk subjects were similar in both groups regardless of BMI category: for FRS-CHD 7.5 vs 4.7% (p=0.06) and 2013 ACC/AHA with 21.5 vs. 17.8% (p=0.14).Conclusion:Normal BMI or overweight Mexican patients with gout may be at higher 10-year estimated cardiovascular risk compared to matched age, gender and BMI healthy controls. Obese gout subjects are at high risk with non-statistical significance scores for FRS-CHD or 2013 ACC/AHA compared to controls.References:[1]Acosta-Cázares B, Escobedo-de la Peña J. High burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors in Mexico: An epidemic of ischemic heart disease that may be on its way?. American Heart Journal. 2010;160:230-6.[2]Sánchez Rodríguez A, Moreno-Del Castillo C, Prado Anaya CA et al. ESTIMATED 10-YEAR CARDIOVASCULAR RISK WITH FRAMINGHAM RISK AND 2013 ACC/AHA IN GOUT AND HEALTHY MEXICAN SUBJECTS: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY WITH A PROPENSITY SCORE-MATCHED ANALYSIS J Clin Rheumatol: 2019;25:S1–S96.[3]Bevis M, Blagojevic-Bucknall M, Mallen C, Hider S, Roddy E. Comorbidity cluster in people with gout: an observational cohort study with linked medial record review. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2018 Apr 17.[4]Andrés M, Bernal JA, Sivera F, Quilis N, Carmona L, Vela P, Pascual E. Cardiovascular risk of patients with gout seen at rheumatology clinics following a structured assessment. Ann Rheum Dis. 2017;76:1263-8.Disclosure of Interests:None declared.