Uric Acid–Lowering Therapy Is Associated with Lower Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Gout

Hyperuricemia is associated with risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and many studies have reported excess risk for both all-cause and coronary heart disease–related death in men with gout. In this study from Taiwan, researchers used a national health database to evaluate the effect of urate-lowering therapy on risk for CVD-related death and all-cause mortality in patients with gout. Among more than 40,000 patients, 2646 patients had gout; of these, 55% were treated with urate-lowering therapy (most commonly allopurinol and benzbromarone, which is not available in the U.S.), and 45% were untreated. Patients were followed for a mean 6.5 years.

After adjustment for age, sex, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities, CVD-related mortality and al…