- gout
- A disorder of purine metabolism, occurring especially in men, characterized by a raised but variable blood uric acid level and severe recurrent acute arthritis of sudden onset resulting from deposition of crystals of sodium urate in connective tissues and articular cartilage; most cases are inherited, resulting from a variety of abnormalities of purine metabolism. The familial aggregation is for the most part galtonian with a threshold of expression determined by the solubility of uric acid. However, g. is also a feature of the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome an X-linked disorder [MIM*308000]. [L. gutta, drop]- abarticular g. rarely used term for g. involving structures other than the joints.- calcium g. SYN: pseudogout.- idiopathic g. acute episodes of crystal-induced synovitis due to abnormality of purine metabolism; lower than normal urinary excretion of urate leading to hyperuricemia and acute episodes of joint inflammation. SYN: primary g..- latent g. hyperuricemia without symptoms of g.. Often used synonymously with interval g.. SYN: masked g..- primary g. SYN: idiopathic g..- retrocedent g. obsolete term for the occurrence of severe gastric, cardiac, or cerebral symptoms during an attack of g., especially when the joint and other symptoms suddenly subside at the same time.- secondary g. g. resulting from increased serum uric acid levels as a result of an antecedent disease, such as a proliferative disease of the blood and bone marrow, lead poisoning, or prolonged chronic renal failure (on dialysis).
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gout 'gau̇t n a metabolic disease marked by a painful inflammation of the joints, deposits of urates in and around the joints, and usu. an excessive amount of uric acid in the blood* * *
n.a disease in which a defect in uric acid metabolism causes an excess of the acid and its salts (urates) to accumulate in the bloodstream and the joints respectively. It results in attacks of acute gouty arthritis and chronic destruction of the joints and deposits of urates (tophi) in the skin and cartilage, especially of the ears. The excess of urates also damages the kidneys, in which stones may form. Treatment with drugs that increase the excretion of urates (uricosuric drug) or with allopurinol, which slows their formation, can control the disease. Acute attacks of gout are treated with anti-inflammatory analgesics. See also podagra.* * *
(gout) [L. gutta a drop, because of the ancient belief that the disease was due to a “noxa†falling drop by drop into the joint] a group of disorders of purine metabolism, manifested by various combinations of (1) hyperuricemia and uric acid calculi; (2) recurrent acute inflammatory arthritis induced by crystals of monosodium urate monohydrate; and (3) tophaceous deposits of these crystals in and around the joints of the extremities, sometimes causing crippling destruction of the joints. gouty adj
Medical dictionary. 2011.
