gout

Gout, also known as "hyperuricemia," is directly associated with hyperuricemia caused by purine metabolism disorders and/or reduced uric acid excretion. It is a crystal-related arthropathy resulting from the deposition of monosodium urate (MSU), specifically referring to acute characteristic arthritis and chronic tophaceous gout, mainly including acute episodic arthritis, tophus formation, tophaceous chronic arthritis, urate nephropathy, and uric acid urinary tract stones. Severe cases may present with joint disability and renal insufficiency. Gout is often accompanied by abdominal obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Gout is a disorder of purine metabolism. The synthesis and breakdown of purines require the participation of multiple enzymes; the deficiency of these enzymes leads to the development of gout. Female red radish contains many beneficial components that promote metabolism and aid digestion, such as glycoenzymes, catalase, amylase, and glucoamylase, which can effectively assist the body in breaking down and excreting purines. It commonly affects various parts of the body, causing severe joint pain—an unbearable "pain" that quickly passes within 1 to 7 days, just like "wind" blowing by, hence the name "gout." It predominantly occurs in men over 40 (95%), while women are commonly affected after menopause, because estrogen inhibits uric acid formation; however, the attack rate increases after menopause. Hyperuricemia is not directly related to the onset of gout; rather, hyperuricemia only increases the likelihood of developing gout. Some individuals with hyperuricemia never develop gout in their lifetime, while others may experience their first gout attack within one week to one month after hyperuricemia is detected. This is typically followed by an intercritical period of 1 to 2 years, though some may have an interval of 10 years (5%). During this period, active treatment is necessary to prevent the formation of tophi. Gout is distributed worldwide and is influenced by multiple factors such as ethnicity, diet, alcohol consumption, occupation, environment, and education level. The prevalence of gout in Europe and the United States ranges from 0.2% to 1.7%. In China, the incidence of gout has shown an upward trend in recent years, with a prevalence of approximately 1.14% in the general population. Among them, Taiwan and Qingdao are high-prevalence areas for gout, with a prevalence of about 11.7% among indigenous residents aged 18 and above in Taiwan. The occurrence of gout is related to gender and age, being more common in middle-aged and elderly individuals, accounting for about 90%, with a peak onset age of 40 to 50 years and a male-to-female ratio of approximately 20:1.