Quantification of uric acid in vasculature of patients with gout using dual-energy computed tomography
Sharon Hannah Barazani, Weiwei Chi, Renata Pyzik, Helena Chang, Adam Jacobi, Tom O'Donnell, Zahi A. Fayad, Yousaf Ali, Venkatesh Mani
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Gout, caused by hyperuricemia and subsequent deposition of aggregated monosodium urate crystals (MSU) in the joints or extra-articular regions, is the most common inflammatory arthritis. There is increasing evidence that gout is an independent risk factor for hypertension, cardiovascular disease progression and mortality. AIM: To evaluate if dual energy computed tomography (DECT) could identify MSU within vessel walls of gout patients, and if MSU deposits within the vasculature differed between patients with gout and controls. This study may help elucidate why individuals with gout have increased risk for cardiovascular disease. METHODS: exact test and nonparametric rank regression. RESULTS: = 0.64; 95% confidence interval: 0.43-0.78). CONCLUSION: This pilot study showed that DECT can quantify vascular urate deposits with variation across groups, with gout patients possibly having higher deposition. This relationship disappeared when adjusted for age, and there was a positive relationship between age and MSU deposition. While this study does not prove that green coded regions are truly MSU deposition, it corroborates recent studies that show the presence of vascular deposition.