They found out what is the main cause of gout
A drop, and an extremely painful condition that causes swelling and redness of the joints, It is one of the most common types of inflammatory arthritis in the world. It is more common in men and older people, but can also affect women and younger people.
This chronic disease is caused The accumulation of uric acid in the body leads to the formation of small crystals around the joints. But what is the reason for this situation? We always associate gout with bad lifestyle habits and we are not mistaken, although this is not the main reason for its development.
A large international study conducted by scientists from the University of Otago in New Zealand found that Gout is a chronic disease whose main cause is genetics.more than the lifestyle of the person who suffers from it. The study, published in the journal Nature Genetics, analyzed the genetic information of 2.6 million people.
Researchers analyzed pooled DNA datasets from around the world. Approximately three quarters of the data came from 23andMe customers, a direct-to-consumer sales company of genetic and preventive products that agreed to participate in the study.
Debunking the stigma
They found that inherited genetics largely explain why some people get gout and most people don’t. Main author, Professor Tony Merriman, from Otago’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology, hopes the findings will remove some of the stigma surrounding gout.
“Gout is a chronic disease that has a genetic basis, and it is not the fault of the person who suffers from it: The myth that gout is caused by lifestyle or diet needs to be debunked. “This widespread myth causes shame in people with gout, making some people more likely to suffer in silence and not seek preventive medication to lower blood urate levels and prevent pain,” he warns.
“People need to understand that Although certain dietary factors, such as consumption of red meat, can trigger gout attacks, the main cause is high levels of urate, crystals in the joints and an immune system ready to “attack” the crystals; “Genetics plays an important role in all of these processes,” he adds.
The study has identified a large number of immune genes and immune pathways that provide new targets and approaches for preventing gout attacks. Professor Merriman hopes these findings will help improve treatment for gout patients. “We hope that over time, better, more affordable treatments will become available based on the new targets we have identified,” he says.
However, although diet plays a very small role in increasing urate levels, it is definitely known to be a trigger for gout in people with urate crystals in their joints.