Kaitlyn D’Onofrio

DocwireNews

The risk of&nbsp;hyperuricaemia&nbsp;(elevated serum urate concentration), a common gout risk factor, may come more from genes than diet, according to a recent study.&nbsp;A&nbsp;meta-analysis of five cohort studies, published in&nbsp;The&nbsp;BMJ, included&nbsp;16,760 people (8,414 men and 8,346 women) aged &gt; 18 who did not have kidney disease or gout and were not on urate-lowering or diuretic drugs. Serum urate measurements, dietary survey data, information on potential confounders,&nbsp;and genome wide genotypes&nbsp;were all recorded.&nbsp;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
New research finds that diet is substantially less important than genes in the development of high blood urate levels, that often precede gout <a href="https://t.co/XMDvMnWgom">https://t.co/XMDvMnWgom</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AucklandUni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AucklandUni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/otago?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@otago</a> <a href="https://t.co/PB0LAjlZfb">pic.twitter.com/PB0LAjlZfb</a>
&mdash; The BMJ (@bmj_latest) <a href="https://twitter.com/bmj_latest/status/1052290611028664320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2018</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Researchers associated seven foods with elevated serum urate levels (beer, liquor, wine, potato, poultry, soft drink, and meat [beef, pork, or lamb]) and eight with decreased serum urate levels (eggs, peanuts, cold cereal, skim milk, cheese, brown bread, margarine, and non-citrus fruit). Beer and liquor were most strongly correlated with raised serum urate levels (1.38&nbsp;&mu;mol/L&nbsp;per week),&nbsp;equating to a 9.66&nbsp;&mu;mol/L (0.16 mg/dL) increase per daily serving.&nbsp;The total 63 food items the researchers studied&nbsp;explained 4.29% of variation in serum urate levels. In contrast,&nbsp;genetic risk score explained 7.9% of the varying serum urate levels.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Studies analyze causes of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hyperuricemia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hyperuricemia</a>, kidney effects of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gout?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#gout</a> treatment with allopurinol. Learn more in the latest ACP Internist Weekly <a href="https://t.co/rqo8jZqBsP">https://t.co/rqo8jZqBsP</a>. <a href="https://t.co/PTI68X4U31">pic.twitter.com/PTI68X4U31</a>
&mdash; ACP (@ACPIMPhysicians) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACPIMPhysicians/status/1052229202924236803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2018</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>&nbsp;&ldquo;Thus, in the datasets&nbsp;analysed&nbsp;here, overall diet explains much less variance in serum urate levels when compared with inherited genetic variants,&rdquo; the researchers wrote.&nbsp;One limitation of the present study is that the questionnaires were not identical in each of the studies the team analyzed. But the study still challenges the centuries-held belief that diet is a significant risk factor for gout development.&nbsp;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Absolutely fascinating study (and picture too), on the role of diet in serum urate levels, by Major et al (2018) <a href="https://twitter.com/bmj_latest?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bmj_latest</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MedEd?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MedEd</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOAMed?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOAMed</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CardioEd?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CardioEd</a> <a href="https://t.co/OkqglPH6Cc">pic.twitter.com/OkqglPH6Cc</a>
&mdash; David Warriner (@DrDavidWarriner) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrDavidWarriner/status/1051094621193953281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2018</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>&ldquo;Our results challenge widely held community perceptions that&nbsp;hyperuricaemia&nbsp;is primarily caused by diet, showing that genetic variants have a much greater contribution to&nbsp;hyperuricaemia&nbsp;in the general population than dietary exposure,&rdquo; the study authors concluded.&nbsp;<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/docwire-pick/rheumatology-picks/obesity-hypertension-linked-gout/">Study: Obesity, Hypertension, and Diuretic Use Linked to Gout</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/abstracts/the-economic-burden-of-uncontrolled-gout-how-controlling-gout-reduces-cost/">The economic burden of uncontrolled gout: how controlling gout reduces cost</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/abstracts/incidence-diabetes-mellitus-patients/">Decreased incidence of diabetes in patients with gout using benzbromarone</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/docwire-pick/gout-medication-associated-kidney/">Gout Medication Not Associated with Kidney Function Decline</a>&nbsp;Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k3951">The BMJ</a>

Jordana Jampel

Positive Preliminary Results From Phase 1 Trial of Dopaminergic Neuron Graft for Parkinson’s Disease

Dementia

Bradley Warady, MD

Joel M. Topf, MD, FACP

2025 Hume Award Winner Is Dedicated to Children’s Care

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings 2025

Distant Brain Metastases in Cutaneous Melanoma May Be Mitigated With Multiple Pathway Inhibitors

Melanoma

Latest News

Genetics May Contribute to Gout Risk More than Diet

Rheumatology

The risk of hyperuricaemia (elevated serum urate concentration), a common gout risk factor, may come more from genes than diet, according to a recent study.  ...

About Us

Editorial Policy

Advertising

Contact Us

eNewsletters

Contribute

Career Center

MashupMD

Blood Cancers Today

Cancer Nursing Today

GU Oncology Now

Urban Health Today

Bile Duct Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Gastroesophageal Cancer

Gastric Cancer

GEP-NETs

GIST

Liver Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

GI Oncology Now

Anemia

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Essential Thrombocythemia

Hemophilia

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelofibrosis

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Polycythemia Vera

Pulmonary Embolism

Sickle Cell Disease

Thrombocytopenia

Thrombophilia

Thrombosis

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Venous Thromboembolism

von Willebrand Disease

Heme Today

Acute Kidney Injury

ADPKD

Anemia and Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease

COVID-19 and Kidney Disease

Diabetes and Hypertension

End-Stage Renal Disease

Gout

Hyperkalemia

IgAN

Kidney Transplantation

Metabolic Acidosis

Nephrology Times

HER2 Breast Cancer

HR Breast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Genetics & Breast Cancer

Breast Cancers Today

Atherosclerotic Disease

Atrial Fibrillation

Heart Failure

Hypertension

Interventional Cardiology

Lipid Management

Practice Tips With Dr. Lichaa

Preventive Cardiology

Stroke

Cardiology

Breast Cancer

Gynecologic Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer

Skin Cancer

Oncology

Sleep

Urology

Diabetes

Ophthalmology

— Demodex Blepharitis

Neurology

Gastroenterology

Pulmonology

Infectious Diseases

— HIV

Health and Wellness

Lupus

Future of Medicine

Orthopedics

Pharmacology

Career News

More

Conferences

CardioNerds

The Sleep Source With Dr. Morse

Rheumatology Rounds With Dr. Maheswaranathan

Partners

Expert Interviews

Subscribe