Diagnostic Significance of Hyperuricemia in Arthritis

Abstract

THE combination of an elevated serum urate level and joint symptoms that are atypical for classic gouty arthritis presents a familiar diagnostic problem to the clinician. Failure to consider the urate-retaining action of some commonly used drug such as salicylate in low doses¹ or chlorothiazide or hydrochlorothiazide^{2 , 3} may cause this problem to be more frequent than it need be.In a recent study⁴ 30 per cent of 737 patients seen at a rheumatic-disease hospital were found to have serum urate levels greater than 6 mg. per 100 ml. No explanation could be found for the hyperuricemia in a quarter of . . .