New Evidence Reveals 'Disease of Kings' Runs in the Family: Genetic Basis of Gout

Gout is historically known as "the king of diseases and the disease of kings." In fact, this disease was long thought to be caused by an overindulgent lifestyle. Yet it seems as if that is not the case. It turns out that "gout" runs strongly in families and has a genetic basis.

Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis, with sudden onset of acute pain, redness and swelling in peripheral joints--most commonly the joint in the big toe. This arthritis is caused by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals, which is related to high uric acid in the blood. This resulting acute arthritis can cause disability due to pain and loss of joint function.

While previous studies had suggested that gout often clusters within families, one recent classic twin studied seemed to show that while there was strong heritability for high uric acid, there was no evidence for heritability in gout. That's why scientists decided to take a closer look at whether or not gout is truly heritable.

The researchers studied the whole population of Taiwan where gout is most prevalent in the world. Including about 23 million individuals, the population also included 4.2 million identifiable families. The data seemed to show that the disease clustered in families, with increased risk for people with first and second degree relatives suffering from gout. This, in turn, indicated that there was strong evidence for heritability.

"Our results confirm the clinical belief that gout strongly clusters within families," said Chang Fu Kuo, the lead researcher on the project, in a news release. "In Taiwan the risk of an individual with any first-degree relative suffering from gout is approximately twice that of the normal person. The risk increases with the number of the first-degree relatives affected. Having a twin brother with gout carries an 8-fold risk, whereas having a parent or offspring with gout has a 2-fold risk."

The findings reveal that it's not just environmental factors that play a role in the development of gout. It turns out that genetics are also strongly at play. Having an affected family member could allow others in that family to take preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of developing gout in the future.

The findings are published in The Eular Journal.