Obesity, hypertension, alcohol and diuretic use -- gout risk factors for women
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 - 09:35
in Health & Medicine
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine found that women with serum uric acid levels over 5 mg/dl had a significantly lower risk of developing gout than men. This study, the first to examine the relationship between uric acid levels and gout risk in women, also evaluated purported risk factors for gout and found that increasing age, obesity, hypertension, alcohol use, and diuretic use to be among leading contributors for women. Results of this 52-year follow-up study are published in the April issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.