Half of patients with gout reach target serum uric acid levels

According to survey results presented in a press release from Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc., 51% of physicians reported their patients with gout are reaching their target serum uric acid levels.

In addition, 94% of physicians responded that gout needs to be treated aggressively; 89% noted the target serum uric acid level should be less than 6 mg/dL as it is in the ACR recommendations; 89% indicated a desire for more treatment options; and 82% responded they were frustrated when treatments fail to control serum uric acid levels.

“What I find most concerning about these findings is that we as physicians agree gout is not only a painful, often debilitating disease, but can have long-term consequences like permanent joint damage,” Paul Doghramji, MD, family physician at Collegeville Family Practice in Collegeville, Pa., said in the release. “Moreover, studies are showing a good deal of association between gout and comorbid conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. Yet, clinicians who treat patients with gout are only getting about half of those patients to their target serum uric acid levels. I think there are two reasons why: We have not had enough treatment options to help manage the disease; and there are continued misconceptions about gout that contribute to ineffective disease management.”

Paul Doghramji

The survey was conducted online among 250 primary care physicians and 100 rheumatologists. Additional findings included that 97% of physicians take gout seriously because of the joint damage, while 83% take the disease seriously because of the cardiovascular risks. Ninety-five percent reported gout has a significant impact on patients’ physical abilities. Ninety-five percent indicated their patients’ focus remains on the gout flares as opposed to the long-term effects. Ninety percent noted patients with gout do not have a good understanding of the disease. Eighty-four percent noted they focus on diet in managing gout and 75% believed patients with gout could minimize the disease impact by controlling diet and alcohol consumption. According to the release, 75% of respondents noted that education about long-term consequences should be the main priority while 72% believed it to be encouraging patients to get their serum uric acid levels below the target even when they not experiencing flares. Seventy percent indicated their patients accept the flares as part of living with gout.

“Physicians who treat gout tend to emphasize the role of diet and nutrition with patients, especially since so many patients have failed to reach their target [serum uric acid] sUA levels,” Doghramji said. “But now it is time to also consider the importance of therapies that can help patients get to their target sUA level. Dispelling myths of gout as a medieval ‘rich man’s diet’ disease, destigmatizing this disease and optimizing available treatment is, in my view, the most constructive path forward for the gout community.”

Reference:

http://news.ironwoodpharma.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=228069&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2208364