Hyperuricemia and Its Gout-like Complexities

My wife's brother, in his early 40's, has gout. For those who are not familiar with this condition, it is actually a form of arthritis that is characterized by a painful inflammation of the joints and the accumulation of urates (salts of uric acid) in and around them. A defect in the body's otherwise normal function in its handling or processing of some of the chemical substances it produces is the main cause of gout.

An example of these chemical substances is uric acid, a substance that is induced by the process of digestion, is nearly insoluble, and is present in small quantity in human urine. Normally, the kidneys can readily eliminate this substance from the body. But in people who are prone to gout, the process of getting rid of uric acid proceeds rather slowly. Under such condition, the amount of uric acid that is retained in the fluids of the body is greater than what is considered normal. This condition, in which there is excess uric acid in the body's fluids, is called hyperuricemia.

Statistics show that hyperuricemia is more common in men than in women. Interestingly, a person who has hyperuricemia usually does not experience any of its known symptoms. This was true early on in the case of my wife's brother who wasn't even aware that he had the condition. For some others though who do have hyperuricemia, certain complexities can crop up.

Acute gouty arthritis is one such complexity. Usually affecting the joints of the hands and the knees, its occurrence can be sudden. If the problem remains untreated, each episode may last for as long as two weeks. Initially, the affected individual may experience an intense pain in one particular joint (usually in either hand) which becomes extremely sensitive and distended. Paroxysms may occur in succession, becoming more intense in each succeeding attack and the intervals getting shorter.

Tophaceous gout is another complexity of hyperuricemia. This frequently-recurring complication is characterized by the buildup of tophi - crystal-like uric acid deposits - in the different tissues around the joints, particularly in the cartilage. The response of the body's tissues to this uric acid buildup may be likened to the way the immune system reacts to the intrusion of some foreign bodies. If the condition is not remedied at once, it may cause damage to the affected tissues and bones.

Hyperuricemia has two other known complexities: the development of kidney stones (formed by uric acid crystals) and the occurrence of gouty kidney disease, the latter marked by the failure of the kidneys to carry out their functions normally.

In preventing the gouty complexities of hyperuricemia from developing, the affected individual may undergo certain programs that focus on the lowering of the amount of uric acid in his body. He may begin by shunning substances that are known to help bring about the buildup of uric acid in the body, such as meats and animal fats. [Read the Original Article]