Gout does increases the risk of diabetes, especially for women

People with gout have a greater risk of developing diabetes, confirms research published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. Until now, the impact of gout on the risk of diabetes was limited to a single study of men who also had heart problems. So a US team wanted to see if the same would be found in the general population.
Using data from the UK, the researchers compared 35,339 people with gout (average age 62.7 years) to 137,056 people without gout (matched for age, sex and body mass index). They took smoking, alcohol consumption, other health issues and medication use into account.
The rates of diabetes in women and men were 10.1 and 9.5 cases per 1,000 person-years, compared to 5.6 and 7.2 cases per 1,000 person-years among the 137,056 people without gout.
“This general population-based study suggests that gout may be independently associated with an increased risk of diabetes and that the magnitude of association is significantly larger in women than in men,” the researchers conclude.
A spokesperson from Arthritis Research UK comments:
“The results of this study highlight the need for people with gout to be aware that they may be at increased risk of additional chronic conditions, and consult their doctor if they have any concerns. Further research is now required to fully understand the relationship between these conditions.”

To read the original research click here.

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