Cardiovascular Risks in Korean Patients with Gout: Analysis Using a National Health Insurance Service Database

Although several epidemiologic studies have shown the association between gout and cardiovascular outcomes, specific risk factors for developing cardiovascular diseases in Asian patients with gout are undisclosed. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate risks of cardiovascular outcomes and its related factors in Korean patients with gout. This retrospective clinical study used sampled cohort data from the National Health Insurance Service in Korea. Patients with gout were defined as subjects enlisted with an ICD-10 code (M10). Control patients were selected by frequency matching for age, sex, and index year. Primary outcomes included ischemic heart disease (IHD), congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular disease (CVD), or transient ischemic attack. We calculated the hazard ratio (HR) using Cox regression, adjusting potential confounders including age, sex, lifestyle habits, laboratory results, and medication. We identified 3306 patients with gout and an equal number of matched controls. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that gout patients had increased risks of IHD (HR: 1.860, 95% CI: 1.446–2.392), acute myocardial infarction (HR: 3.246, 95% CI: 1.460–7.217), and CVD (HR: 1.552, 95% CI: 1.177–2.036). Old age, current smoking, frequent alcohol intake, high low-density lipoprotein, and diabetes mellitus increased the risk of cardiovascular outcomes, yet hypouricemic agents decreased the risk of cerebrovascular diseases. Our data corroborate that it is crucial to identify and manage traditional cardiovascular risk factors alongside lowering urate levels in patients with gout.