RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Tophaceous gouty arthropathy of the lumbar spine
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP 683
OP 684
DO 10.7861/clinmedicine.14-6-683
VO 14
IS 6
A1 Kundan Saripalli
A1 Sangeetha Baskar
YR 2014
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/14/6/683.abstract
AB Gout, classically affecting the first metatarsal joints, knees, fingers and ears, is seldom thrown out as a differential when a patient complains of lower back pain. Symptoms presented by patients with spinal gout may be non-specific and varied; at times, the only clue being that the patient has a previous history of gout. Prompt treatment with anti-inflammatory medication once diagnosis is reached helps to alleviate pain and improves the prognosis of the disease. Therefore, it is vital for the treating physician to keep an open mind and consider spinal gout as a diagnosis once other sinister causes such as osteomyelitis have been ruled out. This greatly reduces the morbidity associated with late treatment of spinal gout.