Tips on Building a Relationship with Doctors

Hello Gout Education,

The Gout Education Society is committed to raising awareness of gout—the most common form of inflammatory arthritis and how to manage it for the long term. The Society offers a variety of free, unbiased resources at GoutEducation.org to help you learn more about gout and treatment options.

Trusting the care team involved with managing your gout is an important way to get the care you deserve. Too often, those afflicted with the disease don't feel comfortable asking questions to their doctors, which can lead to a decreased level of care. This month, the Society wants to share helpful tips and questions you can ask your doctor about gout to better understand the disease and its treatment.

Questions About Gout:

Understanding the disease is critical to those afflicted and their caretakers. If you're unsure about risk factors, the role of uric acid, or uncommon symptoms, here are some questions you could ask your doctor:

• What is uric acid?
• Why do I need to check my uric acid level and often should I get it checked?
• What is my target uric acid level?
• What other health conditions can be impacted by gout?

Questions About Medications:

A gout diagnosis almost always comes with a prescription for a uric acid lowering medication like allopurinol or febuxostat, and medications for the treatment of pain from flares such as NSAIDs or colchicine.

Medications are vital to understand. Here are some questions that can help:

• Why do uric acid lowering medications need to be taken for life?
• Are there any side effects or potential interactions with other drugs?
• Can I try different medications if I don't like others?
• What if I am still in pain after taking my prescribed amount?

Questions About Lifestyle Modifications:

Gout requires an encompassing approach to better manage its root cause and stave off potential flares. This includes making healthy improvements to your lifestyle. It's important to talk to your doctor about making changes before you do. Here are some questions that can get you in the right direction:

• Are there any kinds of foods or beverages that I should avoid to avoid flares?
• What kind of foods should I eat?
• How much exercise should I get every day?
• Will losing weight help manage the disease?

Have any questions or need resources? Email us: info@gouteducation.org.

Featured Cartoon

Avoid painful flares by reducing uric acid levels to 6.0 mg/dL. Talk to your doctor about adding physical activity, medications and a well-balanced diet to your treatment plan!

New Blog: Demystifying Gout: Not Just About Foods

By: Gary Ho, Gout Support Group of America

Recently, Gary Ho, who has been managed his gout for more than 20 years, wrote a blog post on myths surrounding the disease and tips for those suffering.

Read more about his approach in our latest blog post.

Co-founder of the Gout Support Group of America, Gary spent more than 15 years dealing with the disease before taking charge of the disease. Founded in 2015, the Gout Support Group of America seeks to help those looking to manage the disease find helpful information and provide a platform to interact with the community.

Clinical Trial Opportunity: Have Hyperuricemia?

LG Chem is looking for 350 participants across several different regions to try out Tigulixostat, a medication designed to stop the enzyme that metabolizes purines. Purines are the compounds that become uric acid. When built up over time, this can cause hyperuricemia, which is the root cause of gout.

Tigulixostat is classified as a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, similar to allopurinol or febuxostat. The Phase 3 clinical trial intends to test the drug’s effectiveness for six months in people with hyperuricemia, versus those who are given a placebo.

Find out here if you are eligible to participate

Clinical Trial Seeks People with an Acute Gout Attack

Olatec Therapeutics is seeking participants for its Phase 2/3 clinical trial in patients with an acute gout flare. The objective of the clinical trial is to test an oral anti-inflammatory, called dapansutrile, which is an investigational drug not yet approved by FDA. The trial will assess the effectiveness of dapansutrile in treating inflammatory pain over 8 days in people with gout who are experiencing an acute gout attack versus those who are given a placebo. Rescue treatment is offered if pain remains intolerable while on study. 

The trial is seeking participants located throughout the USA and in Europe. 

To find out if you're eligible please visit clinicaltrials.gov and/or contact gout@olatec.com

Clinical Trial Seeks People Around Houston

Advanced Rheumatology of Houston is seeking participants with diagnosed gout for research on treatment options for the disease. Participants must be willing to commit time for study visits at the practice's clinic in The Woodlands, Texas.

To find out if you are eligible or to sign up please contact Advanced Rheumatology of Houston at (936) 681 4882

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