Posted by Dr.Prahallad Panda on June 21, 2010
Gout, an arthritic disease having hall mark of affecting the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint, the joint of great toe to the foot; is very painful. Colchicine is the specific drug in acurte phase along with a NSAID such as naproxen. In long term allopurinol is used. The target is to get the urate (Uric acid ) level something below 6mg%. Now researcher say combining a newer drug febuxostat may give better result, though disease flares may not reduce.
Another experimental monoclonal antibody, Canakinumab addition may decrease the flares; said the researchers.
| ROME — Gout patients treated with febuxostat (Uloric) at a dose of 80 mg or 120 mg daily saw greater declines in serum urate levels than those treated with allopurinol 300 mg, researchers said here.
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At the patients’ final clinic visit, 75% of those treated with febuxostat 80 mg/day achieved urate-lowering to a goal of less than 6 mg/dl, but only 38% of patients taking allopurinol 300 mg/day achieved that goal (P<0.001), according to Michael Becker, MD, of the University of Chicago. |
When the researchers looked a further urate lowering, they found that 65% of those on the higher febuxostat dose achieved a serum urate level below 5 mg/day, as did 47% on the lower febuxostat dose and just 13% on allopurinol. The differences between both febuxostat treatment groups and the allopurinol group were again significant at P<0.001. |
Despite lower serum urate levels, no differences were observed between treatments for gout flares or reduction of tophi. |
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This entry was posted on June 21, 2010 at 9:16 am and is filed under Uncategorized.
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