Does gout need a name change?

The condition is perceived by many as an 'embarrassing' lifestyle disease when it's a form of arthritis, Aussie authors point out

Gout is in need of a rebrand and should be called urate crystal arthritis instead to correct the misconception that it’s a lifestyle disease caused by excessive drinking and eating, Australian researchers say

Renaming the illness to more accurately reflect its status as a form of inflammatory arthritis could help patients adhere to medications and encourage them to seek treatment earlier, say the authors led by Professor Richard Day a rheumatologist at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital.