Hyperuricemia and gout among Taiwan Aborigines and Taiwanese-prevalence and risk factors

摘要

Gout is a metabolic disorder which normally undergoes 4 stages: hyperuricemia, acute gouty arthritis, an intercritical period, and final tophus. Priority associated with gout is hyperuricemia. Only 5% - 10% of patients with hyperuricemia will develop gout. Indeed, the serum uric acid level is correlated with the prospects of gouty attack. Therefore, study of gout epidemiology should focus on the hyperuricemia of a community or ethnic population. Twenty-three million people live in Taiwan, among them, an ethnic minority of 330 000 native inhabitants (called "Aborigines"), who live mainly in high mountain areas. The rest are "ethnic Taiwanese" , most of whom came from the southern Mainland Chinese provinces some 400 years ago. Some of the "ethnic Taiwanese"arrived from the central and northern areas of Mainland China 50 years ago. The languages, dietary habits and cultures of the Taiwanese and Aborigines are completely different. Since many risk factors can increase serum uric acid levels and trigger gouty attack, we present epidemiological data and highlight possible risk factors in ethnic Taiwanese and Aborigines with hyperuricemia and gout.