According to a study, the chances of cancer, as well as all-cause and cancer mortality, are higher in middle-aged gout patients than in the general population.
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| Photo: Gout | InStyleHealth |
According to the researchers, “special emphasis should
be devoted to greater cancer risk and death in these patients who are diagnosed
in middle age.”
The researchers used the Korea Health Insurance Service database to find patients aged 41–55 years old who were newly diagnosed
with gout between 2003 and 2007. In gout patients (n=4,176), they utilized a
multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model, and controls (n=8,352)
were matched by age, sex, and index year.
Both groups of patients had an average age of 48.8
years and were followed for an average of 10.1 years. Between gout patients and
controls, there was a significant difference in total cancer risk (hazard ratio
[HR], 1.224, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.073–1.398). Gout patients
had a greater risk of death from any cause (HR, 1.457, 95 percent CI,
1.149–1.847) and cancer (HR, 1.470, 95 percent CI, 1.020–2.136).
In addition, patients with gout had greater odds of stomach cancer (HR, 1.710, 95 percent CI, 1.221–2.395), head and neck cancer
(HR, 1.850, 95 percent CI, 1.071–3.196), and hematologic or lymphoid organ cancer (HR, 2.849, 95 percent CI, 1.035–7.844).
The researchers said that gout is reportedly
correlated with a higher incidence of cancer. But, patients with gout tend to
have several cancer-related factors which includes obesity, smoking, and
alcohol intake.
Source: J Rheumatol 2021;48:1465-1471