How to diagnose gout
Gout is a common metabolic disease, mainly caused by abnormal uric acid metabolism leading to the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints, causing inflammation and severe pain. In recent years, with changes in dietary structure and accelerated pace of life, the incidence of gout has increased year by year. This article will combine the hot topics and hot content on the Internet in the past 10 days to introduce you to the diagnostic methods of gout in detail and provide structured data for better understanding.
1. Common symptoms of gout
Typical symptoms of gout include sudden joint pain, redness, swelling, warmth, and limited movement. The following table summarizes the symptoms of gout compared with other joint diseases:
| disease | Main symptoms | Attack characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| gout | Sudden joint pain, redness, swelling, and fever | Attacks at night or early in the morning, often on the big toe |
| rheumatoid arthritis | Symmetrical joint pain, morning stiffness | Gradually worsens, mostly involving small joints |
| osteoarthritis | Joint stiffness and limited movement | Progresses slowly, more common in middle-aged and elderly people |
2. Diagnostic Methods of Gout
The diagnosis of gout usually requires a combination of clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, and imaging studies. The following are common diagnostic methods:
| diagnostic methods | Specific content | significance |
|---|---|---|
| Blood uric acid test | Measuring uric acid concentration in blood | Elevated uric acid levels are a high risk factor for gout |
| Synovial fluid examination | Aspirate joint fluid to observe uric acid crystals | The gold standard for diagnosing gout |
| Imaging examination | X-ray, ultrasound or dual-energy CT | Detection of uric acid deposits and bone destruction in joints |
3. Differential diagnosis of gout
Gout needs to be differentiated from other joint diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis and infectious arthritis. The following are key points in the differential diagnosis of gout:
| disease | Key points for identification |
|---|---|
| rheumatoid arthritis | Symmetrical joint involvement, positive rheumatoid factor |
| infectious arthritis | Synovial fluid culture shows pathogens, accompanied by fever |
| pseudogout | Calcium pyrophosphate crystals found in synovial fluid |
4. High-risk groups for gout
High-risk groups for gout include obese people, long-term drinkers, people with a high-purine diet, and people with a family history of gout. The table below summarizes the risk factors for gout:
| high risk factors | illustrate |
|---|---|
| obesity | Body mass index (BMI) ≥25 |
| high purine diet | Frequent consumption of seafood, red meat, and animal offal |
| drinking | Especially beer and spirits |
| family history | Have gout patients in your immediate family members |
5. Prevention and treatment of gout
The prevention and treatment of gout requires both lifestyle modification and drug treatment. Here are some common prevention and treatment measures:
| measure | Specific content |
|---|---|
| diet modification | Reduce the intake of high-purine foods and drink more water |
| drug treatment | Use urate-lowering drugs (such as allopurinol) and anti-inflammatory drugs |
| weight management | Control weight through exercise and diet |
| Regular inspection | Monitor blood uric acid levels and joint health |
In summary, the diagnosis of gout requires a combination of clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, and imaging tests, as well as differentiation from other joint diseases. If you are in a high-risk group or have related symptoms, it is recommended to seek medical treatment in time for early diagnosis and treatment.
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