Gout in younger people

Who usually gets gout

NIAMS says gout usually develops in middle age and is more common in men than in women. Less often, younger people develop it. When they do, NIAMS says, the disease tends to be more severe.

What can be behind it

NIAMS lists factors that can raise the chance of gout, including a family history of gout, high urate levels, alcohol, sugar-sweetened drinks, a diet rich in purines, overweight, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and certain medicines such as diuretics. It also names rare genetic conditions, Kelley-Seegmiller syndrome and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, that lead to increased urate.

Whether any of these applies to you is a question for your clinician. It is reasonable to ask what they think is behind your gout and whether anything else should be checked.

Work, sport, and social life

A flare can mean missed work or a missed game. The general measures are the same at any age: get a flare treated early with your clinician’s plan, and rest, ice, and raise the joint. NIAMS also lists drinking fewer alcoholic beverages and avoiding sugar-sweetened drinks among diet changes. More practical tips are on Living with gout and Holidays and travel.

Thinking long term

NIAMS says that without treatment flares may happen more often and last longer over time, and tophi can develop. A younger person may live with gout for many years, so the long-term plan matters. The 2020 ACR guideline describes urate-lowering medicine and a treat-to-target blood-test strategy; whether that is right for you, and when, is decided with your clinician. See Staying well.

Questions to bring

• What do you think is behind my gout at this age?
• Should anything else be checked, such as my kidneys or other medicines I take?
• Do I need a long-term plan, and how will we follow it?