Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked to Gout?

… Continued …

Doctors and experts only know that both rheumatoid arthritis and gout may occur together (in rare cases). But it’s not clear yet whether they are linked each other!

According to a study, researchers suggest that doctors should consider observing the existence of gout in patients with RA. Though the link of both diseases is not fully understood yet, but researchers found that RA patients might pose the risk of high uric acid levels in the blood.

This study observed about 100 RA patients (women and men). Most of participants are at the ages of about 60s and many of them have the disease for almost 9 years.

The study found that all of participants had high uric acid levels in their bloodstream.

The existence of high uric acids is actually not the single key for the development of gouty arthritis. Uric acids need to go to the joint and make needle-like crystals to trigger inflammation and eventually cause a gout attack.

Not all people with high blood uric acid levels develop gout, as noted before. But in general, the elevated levels (higher than normal) of these acids in the blood could be a warning sign that should not be ignored for people with RA.

And while RA is more common in women, but the chance of having both RA and gouty arthritis in the same individual might be higher in men.

Again, having high blood uric acids level doesn’t mean you definitely have gout! The finding of this study is also considered preliminary.