Gout and risk of Parkinson disease
A prospective study
Alvaro Alonso, MD, PhD, Luis A. García Rodríguez, MD, MSc, Giancarlo
Logroscino, MD, PhD and Miguel A. Hernán, MD, DrPH
From the Department of Epidemiology (A.A., G.L., M.A.H.), Harvard School of
Public Health, Boston, MA; and Centro Español de Investigación
Farmacoepidemiológica (L.A.G.R.), Madrid, Spain.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Alvaro Alonso, Division
of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of
Minnesota, 1300 S. 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55454
Background: Several reports suggest that higher levels of serum uric acid
are associated with a lower risk of Parkinson disease (PD). None of these
studies, however, evaluated the potential association between gout, a
condition characterized by hyperuricemia, and the risk of PD.
Objective: To estimate prospectively the association between gout diagnosis
and the risk of PD.
Methods: We conducted a case-control study nested in the General Practice
Research Database, a computerized database that gathers information on more
than 3 million Britons followed up by their general practitioners. PD cases
occurring between January 1995 and December 2001 were identified, and
matched with up to 10 controls by sex, age, practice, and start of
follow-up. We obtained information on history of gout and use of anti-gout
medication using the computerized medical records.
Results: During the study period, we identified 1,052 PD cases and 6,634
controls. Individuals with previous history of gout had a lower risk of
developing PD (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.48, 0.99). This association was evident
among men (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.40, 0.91) but not among women (OR 1.26, 95% CI
0.57, 2.81; p for interaction: 0.11). Initiation of anti-gout medication was
associated with a lower risk of PD (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.19, 1.70).
Conclusion: Gout is associated with a lower risk of Parkinson disease (PD).
Our findings provide additional support for a potential link between uric
acid and PD. Further research is required to explore a potential effect
modification by sex.
GLOSSARY: GPRD = General Practice Research Database; PD = Parkinson disease.
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aalogut{at}alumni.unav.es
Supported by NIH grant R01 HL080644.
Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.
Rayilyn Brown
Director AZNPF
Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation
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