Effects of Allopurinol on Inflammation and Ultrasonographic Changes in People With Elevated Uric Acid But no Symptoms
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2021-02-28
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Hyperuricemia is a metabolic alteration defined as the presence of serum urate levels higher
than 7 mg/dL. This has proven to be the maximum limit of solubility of urate in serum, any
higher concentration leads to precipitation and eventually to the formation of monosodium
urate (MSU) crystals. The accumulation of said crystals can manifest as gouty arthritis, uric
acid nephropathy, urolithiasis or chronic tophaceous gout.
A strong relation between hyperuricemia and other chronic degenerative diseases, including
diabetes mellitus, systemic arterial hypertension, obesity and metabolic syndrome, has been
consistently proven.
Hypouricemic pharmacological agents have shown a decrease in cardiovascular complications and
death in patients with gout.
A series of studies conducted on individuals with asymptomatic hyperuricemia using
musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) have shown the presence of morphostructural changes
suggestive of MSU crystal deposits, combined with an elevation in a series of inflammation
markers to a degree similar to those found in patients with chronic gout.
Even though, there is evidence of morphostructural damage in individuals with asymptomatic
hyperuricemia, there are no clinical, laboratorial or imaging parameters that indicate when
hypouricemic treatment should be started.
This clinical trial is proposed as a proof of concept which is looking to evaluate if
treatment with allopurinol induces changes in levels of inflammatory markers in individuals
with asymptomatic hyperuricemia and morphostructural changes suggestive of MSU crystal
deposits. this proof of concept is not looking to measure the efficiency, effectiveness or
security of the treatment.
Our Hypothesis is that Individuals with asymptomatic hyperuricemia and morphostructural
changes evidenced by MSUS (double contour sing, tophi, aggregates) will show a decent in
inflammatory markers and their morphostructural changes will diminish or revert after
treatment with allopurinol.