Age, Drinking, Raise Women's Gout Risk

March 30, 2010 -- Women have a lower risk of developing gout than men, even
when they have the same blood levels of the chemical that causes the painful,
inflammatory arthritis, new research shows.
Gout has traditionally been thought of as a disease of older men, but older
women get it, too. A recent national health survey found that about 4% of women
in their 60s and 6% of those in their 80s had gout.
In one of the first large studies to examine gout by gender, researchers
found that in women, just as in men, older age, obesity, high blood pressure,
alcohol use, and use of diuretics are all risk factors for gout.
Gout occurs when elevated blood levels of uric acid form crystals in the
joints and surrounding tissue, leading to excruciatingly painful inflammation
and swelling.
The big toe, knee, and ankle joints are the most common sites for gout, and
attacks frequently start during the night. The painful swelling typically goes
away in a few days, but more than half of people who have one attack will have
others.




Slideshow: Gout Causes,
Symptoms, and Treatments

http://women.webmd.com/news/20100330/age-drinking-raise-womens-gout-risk?src=RSS_PUBLIC