Her general practitioner diagnosed gouty arthritis because of a high serum uric-acid level (600 µmol/l; normal range 270–380 µmol/l) coexistent with tophi in her hands, and initiated ...
just over 15% of participants with gout for less than 10 years had tophaceous disease. Creatinine clearance was the major factor independently associated with early presentation with tophi.
Treatment can help reduce symptoms and prevent future attacks, chronic gout, and tophi. Surgery is rarely needed to treat gout in the thumb, but it may be needed if joint damage related to tophi ...