A treat-to-target approach has the potential to improve patient outcomes in the management of gouty arthritis, according to the results of a study published online-first in Clinical Rheumatology. Conway and associates at Galway University Hospitals in Ireland evaluated 102 patients who had a definitive diagnosis of gout for their adherence with 2 recommended serum uric acid (SUA) levels, lower than 5 mg/dL and lower than 6 mg/dL. Patient management was judged to adhere to the guidelines if (1) the latest SUA level was lower than the specified guideline targets or (2) uric acid–lowering therapy was titrated upward or the agent changed if the SUA level was above the guideline targets.
The management adhered to a target guideline of lower than 6 mg/dL in 80 patients (78%) and to a target guideline of lower than 5 mg/dL in 66 patients (65%). The authors suggested that their study shows encouraging results in that the majority of patients received appropriate therapy and reached recommended targets.
