Lecture Sheds Light on the "Disease of Kings"

Doha, April 18 (QNA) - Dr. Edward J. Parrish, Assistant Attending Rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, discussed the condition in the latest of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar s (WCMC-Q) Medicine and U lecture series. Titled Gouty Arthritis: aka Disease of Kings, Dr. Parrish s lecture examined what gout is, the causes of the condition and some common misconceptions. Dr. Parrish told the audience that gout was becoming increasingly common in Qatar and the wider region. "Gout is common virtually everywhere but it is particularly prevalent in the industrialized West and is also on the increase in the Middle East," he said. "A lot of this is to do with increasing obesity among the population." Gout, which is a form of inflammatory arthritis, is caused by uric acid forming crystals in the joints, resulting in severe pain and swelling. Dr. Parrish s lecture began with an overview of arthritis and went onto inflammatory arthritis. He discussed what causes gout, where uric acid is produced and how it gets deposited in the joints. He also described how gout is associated with metabolic syndrome; specifically high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. He said: "Metabolic syndrome can cause gout but gout can also cause metabolic syndrome. It’s a vicious circle and the treatment of one condition can improve the other complaints. Frequently you have to treat all of them to have the maximum effect." (QNA)