WORKING GROUP NAME: Serum Urate as a Clinically Valid Surrogate in Gout

Gout is caused by an increase in blood uric acid levels that leads to deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints. These crystals can cause gout flares which manifest as severely painful swollen joints. There are two general treatment strategies, firstly to treat gout flares and secondly to lower the blood uric acid levels in order to prevent the flares from occurring in the first place. It is recommended that a certain level of uric acid in the blood is reached (<0.36mmol/l; 6mg/dl) and that if this is sustained over time the gout flares will reduce and eventually stop. The strength of this relationship between lowering blood uric acid levels and reducing gout flares is the main focus of this working group.