Gout: what primary care physicians want to know.

Gout is an inflammatory arthritis that has been recognized since ancient times. It is the most common type of inflammatory arthritis in men. Despite these facts, no new advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of gout for over 50 years. Since there have been no new advances and the condition has been recognized for so many centuries, the diagnosis and treatment of gout has not elicited interest in learning more about the disease. Thus, managing gout is a challenge for the clinician caring for the gout patient. Rheumatologists should be the educators of primary care physicians (PCPs) about the diagnosis and optimal treatment of gout. A recent educational meeting was held, the Hyperuricemia and Gout Summit, in which a panel of leading rheumatologists educated PCPs about gout management through didactic presentations and breakout sessions focused on case studies. At this meeting, the PCPs discussed some of their key challenges in managing gout in their practice. This article reviews current recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of gout, using educational examples from the Hyperuricemia and Gout Summit. It also highlights the importance of providing practical recommendations to PCPs to improve the standard of care for gout in the primary care setting.