2022 update of the Austrian Society of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation nutrition and lifestyle recommendations for patients with gout and hyperuricemia

Abstract

Background: Gout is the most frequent inflammatory joint disease in the western world and has a proven genetic background. Additionally, lifestyle factors like increasing life span and wealth, sufficient to excess nutritional status and a growing prevalence of obesity in the population, as well as e.g. alcohol consumption contribute to the rising incidence of hyperuricemia and gout. Apart from an adequate medication, medical advice on nutrition and lifestyle is an essential part of the management of gout patients, being at high risk of internal comorbidities. Objective: In 2015, the ÖGR (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie und Rehabilitation) working group for osteoarthritis and crystal arthropathies already published nutrition and lifestyle recommendations for patients with gout and hyperuricemia. Since then, a multitude of literature has been published addressing this topic, what required an update. Methods: First, the authors performed a hierarchical literature search to screen the meanwhile published literature. Also considering references of the first publication, the relevant literature was selected, and the 2015 recommendations were either kept as published, reformulated or newly produced. Finally, the evidence level and the level of agreement with each recommendation were added. Results: Following this process, ten recommendations were generated instead of the initial nine. Like in the original publication, a colored icon presentation was provided to complement the written text. Conclusion: The Austrian nutrition and lifestyle recommendations for patients with gout and hyperuricemia were updated incorporating the most recent relevant literature, serving as education material for patients and updated information for physicians.