Emerging strategies for treating gout

Gout is a common and potentially debilitating disease characterized by a painful inflammatory arthritis (“gout flare”), caused by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in joints and surrounding tissues. Gout is frequently comorbid with other chronic conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes mellitus, which can make treatment complex, as traditional mainstays (such as allopurinol, colchicine, and corticosteroids) may not be preferred or could have adverse events in such patients. Understanding the pathophysiology of hyperuricemia, gout, and crystalline-driven inflammation is key for drug development and research. Consequently, new agents and new protocols with existing agents are being proposed for safe and efficacious treatment in patients with a variety of comorbid conditions. This review will discuss such strategies that may be used in the future for gout treatment.