Living Kidney Donors May Be at Increased Risk of Developing Gout

Gout developed in 3.5% of living kidney donors compared to 2.0% of nondonors in a recent study that followed 21,868 participants for a median of 8.4 years. The difference translated into a 60% increased risk of gout among living donors. In addition, 3.8% of donors vs. 1.3% of nondonors received prescriptions of the gout medicines allopurinol or colchicine, which translated into a 3.2 times increased likelihood of a gout medication prescription. The study, which included 1988 living kidney donors and 19,880 matched healthy nondonors, was presented at the 2014 World Transplant Congress and highlighted by Renal & Urology News.