A substantial portion of gout patients have normal serum urate levels during an acute attack but data on the clinical characteristics and risk of recurrence compared with hyperuricemic patients are limited. In this retrospective cohort study, clinical features of normouricemic and hyperuricemic patients were compared. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine whether normouricemic patients were less likely to have a recurrent attack. Among a total of 221 gout patients, 88 (39.8%) had normouricemia during an acute attack. Postsurgical gout (22.7% vs. 6.0%, p < 0.001), hemodialysis initiation (9.1% vs. 2.3%, p = 0.029) and inflammatory activity were higher in normouricemic patients than in hyperuricemic patients. The frequency of renal insufficiency was lower in normouricemic patients (25.0% vs. 53.4%, p < 0.001). However, the recurrence rate of gout attack was not different between the two groups (24.7% vs. 33.0%, p = 0.220). In multivariate analysis, female sex, history of urinary stone, presence of tophi, and use of thiazide were associated with increase of recurrent gout attack, but not with serum urate status during an acute attack (hazard ratio, 1.075; 95% confidence interval, 0.972 to 1.190; p = 0.159). Normouricemia during an acute gout attack was more frequently observed in postsurgical episodes, hemodialysis initiation and patients with preserved renal function. While higher inflammatory activity was observed in normouricemic patients, recurrent attack was not associated with serum urate levels during an acute attack. Thus, careful follow-up should be considered in gout patients regardless of serum urate levels during an acute attack.

Objective.: Febuxostat has superior renal safety to allopurinol, but data on its hepatic safety are limited. Thus we compared the hepatotoxicity of febuxostat and allopurinol, and the clinical factors associated with hepatotoxicity, in patients with gout and fatty liver disease (FLD).Methods.: We included gout patients treated with allopurinol or febuxostat who were diagnosed with fatty liver based on ultrasonography or computed tomography. Hepatotoxicity was defined as follows: (1) elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) at least 3× the upper limit of normal, when the baseline AST/ALT was normal; or (2) doubling of the baseline AST/ALT, when the baseline AST/ALT was elevated. The factors associated with hepatotoxicity were evaluated by Cox regression analysis.Results.: Of 134 patients identified with gout and FLD, 32 (23.9%) received febuxostat and 102 (76.1%) received allopurinol. There were no significant differences in age, body mass index, comorbidity, or disease severity between the groups; however, the incidence of hepatotoxicity was significantly lower in the febuxostat group (3/32, 9.4%) than in the allopurinol group (36/102, 35.3%, p = 0.005). Diabetes (HR 3.549, 95% CI 1.374–9.165, p = 0.009) and colchicine use (HR 11.518, 95% CI 5.515–24.054, p < 0.001) were associated with a higher risk of hepatotoxicity, whereas febuxostat use was associated with a lower risk of hepatotoxicity (HR 0.282, 95% CI 0.086–0.926, p = 0.037).Conclusion.: In the 32 patients studied, febuxostat was well tolerated in patients with gout and FLD. However, the presence of diabetes and colchicine use may increase the risk of hepatotoxicity.

Background: Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have increased levels of protein phosphatase magnesium-dependent 1A (PPM1A) and autoantibodies. We evaluated the usefulness of serum anti-PPM1A antibodies as a biomarker for AS. Methods: Serum samples from 58 AS patients were obtained from a multicenter registry prior to the initiation of anti-TNF agents. The serum levels of anti-PPM1A antibodies were measured using ELISA. Spinal radiographic progression was defined as an increase in the modified stoke ankylosing spondylitis spinal score (mSASSS) by ≥2 units or a newly developed syndesmophyte. The role of exogenous PPM1A on bone mineralization was evaluated using primary osteoprogenitors acquired from patients with AS and non-inflammatory controls. Results: The baseline levels of anti-PPM1A antibodies and mSASSS were higher in the radiographic progression group than in the non-progression group. In logistic regression analysis, baseline mSASSS and serum anti-PPM1A antibodies were associated with a higher risk of progression. The level of anti-PPM1A antibodies for predicting progression had an AUC of 0.716 (cut-off value: 43.77 ng/mL). PPM1A stimulation increased matrix mineralization in AS-osteoprogenitors but not in controls. Conclusion: Along with mSASSS, the serum levels of anti-PPM1A antibodies might be useful as a predictor of radiographic progression after treatment with anti-TNF agents.

Objectives: To investigate the frequency of monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposits on dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in patients with clinical diagnosis of gout and the factors associated MSU crystal positivity. Methods: This study was conducted in patients with clinical diagnosis of gout who underwent DECT. Clinical features were compared between patients with positive and those with negative DECT results. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with MSU crystal positivity on DECT. Results: A total of 148 patients with clinical diagnosis of gout were included, and MSU crystal deposition on DECT was observed in 64 patients (43.3%). The patients with positive DECT results were more likely to have renal insufficiency, longer disease duration, and higher serum urate level than those with negative. In the multivariable analysis, first gout attack (odds ratio 0.462; 95% confidence interval 0.229–0.931, p = 0.031) was associated with a less likely MSU crystal deposit-positive DECT result. In the subgroup analysis of patients with first attack, serum urate level > 8 mg/dL was associated with DECT positivity. Conclusion: Of the patients with clinical diagnosis of gout, those with renal insufficiency, longer disease duration, and high serum urate level were more likely to be positive of gout on DECT. First gout attack was associated with less likely to be positive for MSU crystal on DECT. Thus, performing DECT scan in the selected patients who had characteristics that highly probability of DECT positivity could increase positive predictive value.