Clinical and inflammatory factors associated with prevalent gout in a Brazilian hospital population.

OBJECTIVE: Gout is a rheumatological disease characterized by the crystallization of uric acid (UA) in joints and tissues, which is believed to trigger inflammatory responses. This study aimed to characterize the inflammatory profile of gout patients in a Brazilian population and its potential influence on flare frequency. METHODS: In this observational cross-sectional study, we analyzed 193 patients from the Complex of Clinics Hospital in Curitiba, Brazil, categorized into two groups: gout (n = 102) and non-gout (n = 91). Data were obtained through in-person surveys, consultation of medical records, and serum analyses. We evaluated anthropometric measurements, lifestyle habits, medication use, serum UA levels, and cytokine profiles. RESULTS: Males were more prevalent in the gout group than in the non-gout group (p < 0.001). The gout group also showed higher consumption of uricogenic foods, including ethanol (p = 0.006), sugary drinks (p = 0.001), meat and seafood (p < 0.001), and processed meats (p = 0.034). UA levels were not correlated with cytokine presence and were not effective in distinguishing patients with low or high flare frequency (OR = 1.07; p = 0.6; AUC = 0.522). IL-6 levels alone modestly differentiated flare frequency (OR = 0.99; p = 0.8; AUC = 0.788), with improved discrimination when combined with monocyte counts (OR = 0.84; p = 0.029; AUC = 0.801). CONCLUSIONS: IL-6, particularly when combined with monocyte count, may be worth considering as a potential marker of gout flare frequency, enabling earlier identification of high-risk patients and supporting targeted interventions to improve disease management and outcomes.