Achieving Low Serum Urate Levels Can Cut Risk for Cardiovascular Events in Gout

TUESDAY, Feb. 3, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with gout who were newly prescribed urate-lowering treatment (ULT), achieving serum urate levels lower than 6 mg/dL is associated with a lower risk for major adverse cardiovascular events, according to a study published online Jan. 26 in JAMA Internal Medicine.Edoardo Cipolletta, Ph.D., from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined the association between achieving a serum urate treatment target lower than 6 mg/dL and cardiovascular events among patients with gout who were newly prescribed ULT. Patients were assigned to the treat-to-target (T2T) ULT arm or the non-T2T ULT arm if they achieved or did not achieve a serum urate level lower than 6 mg/dL, respectively, within 12 months of their first ULT prescription receipt.The researchers found that 27.3 percent of the 109,504 patients were included in the T2T ULT arm. Compared with those in the non-T2T ULT arm, patients in the T2T ULT arm had higher five-year survival (weighted survival difference, 1.0 percent) and a lower risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (weighted hazard ratio, 0.91). Compared with those with moderate risk, there was a greater association for people at high and very high cardiovascular risk. A larger risk reduction was seen for patients who achieved a lower serum urate target of less than 5 mg/dL (weighted survival difference, 2.6 percent; weighted hazard ratio, 0.77)."Previous research from Nottingham showed treat-to-target urate-lowering treatment prevents gout flares," lead author Abhishek Abhishek, Ph.D., also from the University of Nottingham, said in a statement. "This current study provides an added benefit of reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, and death due to these diseases."Several authors disclosed ties to the information technology and biopharmaceutical industries.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)Editorial (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Achieving Low Serum Urate Levels Can Cut Risk for Cardiovascular Events in Gout

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