Outcome Evaluations in Gout

H. RALPH SCHUMACHER, WILLIAM TAYLOR, NANCY JOSEPH-RIDGE, FERNANDO PEREZ-RUIZ, LAN X. CHEN, NAOMI SCHLESINGER, DINESH KHANNA, DANIEL E. FURST, MICHAEL A. BECKER, NICOLA DALBETH, and N. LAWRENCE EDWARDS

ABSTRACT.

Methods to measure outcomes in gout still require consensus and validation. This Special Interest Group was assembled to identify domains of interest and is now evaluating a series of outcomes for features of acute gouty arthritis and chronic gout. To accomplish this, working groups have been formed and domains identified. Delphi methodology has been used to address gouty flares as an outcome of greatest interest. Studies addressing other outcome measures were reported at the OMERACT 8 meeting and validation has begun on some outcomes. There has been progress on developing a definition of a flare, and validating reproducibility of some chronic gout outcome measures in some domains, such as tophus size and patient perceptions. Use of these outcomes as well as a health-related quality of life measure are being studied in clinical trials. Pain on a Likert scale appears to be a valid outcome in acute gout. Final validation of these outcomes has not yet been achieved. In summary, the unique problems of evaluating outcomes in gout are finally being addressed. While no measures are available for use yet, an agenda has been developed. (J Rheumatol 2007;34:1381-5)

Key Indexing Terms:

GOUT
OUTCOMES
OMERACT
URIC ACID

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From the Division of Rheumatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Supported by TAP Pharmaceuticals.

H.R. Schumacher, MD, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; W. Taylor, MD, Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Rehabilitation Teaching and Research Unit, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand; N. Joseph-Ridge, MD, TAP Pharmaceuticals, Lake Forest, Illinois; F. Perez-Ruiz, MD, Sección de Reumatología, Hospital de Cruces, Vizcaya, Spain; L.X. Chen, MD, PhD, Department of Rheumatology, University of Pennsylvania; N. Schlesinger, MD, Department of Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey; D. Khanna, MD, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio; D.E. Furst, MD, UCLA Medical School, Los Angeles, California; M.A. Becker, MD, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois; N. Dalbeth, MD, Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; N.L. Edwards, MD, Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Miami, Florida, USA.

Address reprint requests to Dr. H.R. Schumacher, VA Medical Center 151K, University and Woodland Avenues, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. E-mail: schumacr@mail.med.upenn.edu

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