LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Gout
built 660 days ago
Gout has been recognized since antiquity: the Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates described it almost 2500 years ago. It was previously referred to as the 'king of diseases' and the 'disease of kings' as it commonly occurred in royal families. Nowadays, gout mostly occurs in those countries with a high standard of living. For instance, it has been rare in China, Polynesia and the Philippines, but when people born in these countries move to areas with a higher standard of living their incidence of gout has ... tended to increase. This suggests that environmental factors play a major role in the disease. Genetic predisposition may also be a factor.
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Gout is caused by urate crystals. These urate crystals originate from uric acid that is a by-product of purine breakdown in the body. Normally, uric acid is a form of waste that is eliminated from the body as it passes through the kidneys. Some people may have high levels or uric acid but not have gout because the uric acid is properly disposed of. Sometimes though there may be too much uric acid, or the kidneys may not eliminate enough. This could result in the formation of urate crystals that settle on the joints.
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Gout