Rheumatologists specialising in gout across the world have agreed when the word gout should be used and have come up with seven other related disease states.

The recommendations come from members of the Gout, Hyperuricaemia and Crystal-associated Disease Network (G-CAN).

They set out to answer the question of whether ‘gout’ refers to either the “underlying pathophysiological process of monosodium urate crystal deposition or the clinically evident sequelae of crystal deposition”.

They concluded that the word ‘gout’ should only be used for disease caused by monosodium urate crystal deposition with the following clinical presentations (current or prior): gout flare; chronic gouty arthritis; or subcutaneous tophus.