Hospitalization of Gouty Arthritis Patients Has Dramatically Increased

Friday July 25, 2008

The rate of hospitalization for gouty arthritis patients has increased 300% in the past 20 years. The significant increase has been attributed to cardiovascular and systemic conditions (conditions related to the whole body) that co-exist with gout. Patients with gout often have other conditions, likely related to hyperuricemia, making it necessary for doctors to look beyond the obvious joint inflammation that occurs with gout.

According to the July 2008 issue of Rheumatology News, an analysis of Nationwide Inpatient Sample data for the years 1988-2005 revealed that there were more than 4 million hospitalizations of patients with primary or secondary gout. In 1988, hospitalizations of gout patients accounted for 0.33% of all U.S. hospitalizations -- but by 2005, hospitalizations of gout patients had risen to 1.1% of all U.S. hospitalizations. Another interesting fact -- while the length of hospital stays has generally decreased since 1988, hospital stays for gout patients is still above average. Researchers were surprised by the findings and have started to study and compare comorbidities in patients with and without gout.

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