INCIDENT GOUT: RISK OF DEATH AND CAUSE-SPECIFIC MORTALITY IN WESTERN SWEDEN – A NESTED CASE CONTROL STUDY
Abstract: OP0208
Authors: M. Dehlin et al.
Key content:
The aim of this nested case-controlled study was to determine the relative risk in incident gout patients compared to general population for overall death and for cause-specific mortality. All incident cases of gout in the population-based health care database VEGA between 2006–2015 were identified and matched with five population controls. 24320 cases of incident gout and 119781 controls were followed on average 5.3 and 5.6 years. The HR for overall death was increased in gout patients (HR: 1.08 (95% CL: 1.05–1.11). Gout cases had significantly increased risk for death by CVD, renal disease, infections, diseases of the digestive system and significantly decreased risk for death by dementia and cancer.
Relevance:
This study demonstrates an increase in overall mortality in gout patients by CVD, renal disease, infections, and diseases of the digestive system. A treatment of gout therefore is warranted to reduce mortality in these patients in long-term. In patients with gout interestingly the mortality due to dementia and cancer was reduced. This finding supports earlier observations that uric acid has a protective effect on the brain and maybe also on cancer development and that too aggressive lowering of uric acid could increase the risk of developing dementia and cancer.
