Why blaming gout for weak bones may not be good idea

Turns out, gout, a painful inflammatory arthritis, is not responsible for weakening the bone strength.

According to a study conducted by the Keele University, gout is not associated with an increased risk of fracture.

These results contrasted with those of previous studies, which found a higher risk of fracture in people with gout.

Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, caused by the buildup of urate crystals in a joint. It can result in severe pain and swelling in joints, most often the base of the big toe but also in other joints.

There is some evidence that chronic inflammation may increase the risk of fracture.

Researchers conducted the study and included 31,781 patients with gout who were matched to 122,961 controls and followed them for between 6.8 and 13.6 years until the first diagnosis of a fracture.

The rate of fracture was similar in people with and without gout. In addition, medication to lower urate levels in people with gout did not appear to benefit or adversely affect the long-term risk of fractures.

"Our use of a nationally representative cohort should enable our study findings to be generalizable not only to the UK but also to other countries with similar health care systems," wrote researcher Zoe Paskins.

The study appears in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.