The Crucial Intercritical Gout Phase

Gout has plagued man since ancient times but there are still some mysteries about this condition up to this day. For instance, while we know today that gout develops when there is a high level of uric acid in a person’s blood or joint, what exactly causes this accumulation is not clear. There is also no cure for gout that exists today. Researchers and health experts, however, have identified three stages of gout: acute gouty arthritis, followed by intercritical gout and lastly, chronic tophaceous gout.

After a person has recovered from the first stage - acute gouty arthritis – he or she will re-enter a symptom-free phase known as intercritical gout. Any period between gout attacks are referred to as the intercritical gout phase. After the initial gout attack, this period of intercritical gout offers the patient complete relief from symptoms.

If the patient has gone through the first gout attack and has entered the asymptomatic intercritical gout phase but has not yet been tested and diagnosed with gout, diagnosis would be difficult but possible given that uric acid crystals may still be present in the gouty joint even if there are no outward symptoms.

If the patient does not receive the proper gout treatment, recurrence of a gout attack is highly likely. One gout study found out that 62 percent of their subjects suffered at least 1 subsequent attack of gout within 1 year and this percentage of recurrence rose to 78 percent after two years, and then 93 percent after a decade.

It is, therefore, crucial that patients receive appropriate treatment during the phase of intercritical gout. While the patient is not suffering from any symptoms, the physician must work to resolve the secondary factors causing hyperuricemia (high blood level of uric acid) such as certain medication, high-purine diet, obesity, and etcetera. It is during intercritical gout that patients must make the necessary changes in order to prevent further attacks.

The doctor will advise the patient regarding these changes, which may involve stopping the use of medicines such as diuretics that contribute to gout, or eliminating foods in the diet that are rich in purines. Patients will be advised about reducing alcohol consumption. If the patient is obese, then starting a weight-loss program is ideal during the intercritical gout phase

Subsequent attacks of gout pose a great chance of affecting more than one joint. They may also last longer with more intense pain and gradual ease. Recurring gout attacks can also progress to damaging the joints severely. For all these reasons, it is very important for the doctor and the patient to study the treatment options and their decisions carefully during the phase of intercritical gout in order to choose the most suitable and effective treatment.