14 Jun Gout Raises Risk of Amputation, Especially if Combined with Diabetes

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Brian LaMoreaux, M.D., M.S.
Medical Director, Medical Affairs
Horizon Therapeutics

Dr. LaMoreaux

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: People with diabetes are known to have an increased risk of undergoing amputation procedures, however it was not known if patients with gout have an elevated independent risk for digit or limb amputations, or whether gout potentiates amputation rates in patients with diabetes. This analysis assessed and compared the rate of amputation procedures conducted in patients with gout, diabetes, both gout and diabetes, and neither gout nor diabetes via examining records from a large US claims database.

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? 

Response: Patients with gout but not diabetes suffered an approximately 3-fold increase in amputations compared to patients without either disease. Additionally, patients with both gout and diabetes had the highest risk of amputations compared to patients with only diabetes (no gout).

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: The data emphasizes the urgency we already feel, as clinicians, to find an appropriate treatment option for people with gout to address uric acid buildup and reach target sUA levels.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?

Response: Because amputations are an unfavorable outcome associated with procedural complication risk and long-term sequelae, this apparent increased risk of amputation in patients with gout warrants further exploration. Additional research between these two patient populations is needed to better understand the best therapeutic approach for patients with both uncontrolled gout and diabetes to best avoid amputation procedures. 

Disclosures: I am a medical director at Horizon and a volunteer clinical rheumatologist with CommunityHealth. 

Citation:

AMPUTATION PROCEDURES IN PATIENTS WITH GOUT COMPARED TO PATIENTS WITH DIABETES

1. Lamoreaux¹, M. Francis-Sedlak¹, R. Holt¹

¹Horizon Therapeutics, Lake Forest, United States of America

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Last Updated on June 14, 2020 by Marie Benz MD FAAD