Accelerated biological ageing linked to gout, mortality

Accelerated biological ageing is associated with increased gout prevalence and incidence and all-cause mortality, according to a study.

Researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the UK Biobank (UK Biobank). They assessed biological ageing using Klemera-Doubal method biological age (KDMAge) and phenotypic age (PhenoAge). Gout was identified by self-reported physician diagnosis in NHANES and using inpatient records in UK Biobank. All-cause mortality was determined through linkage with the National Death Index and National Health Service death registries, respectively.

The analysis included 2,131 participants in NHANES and 316,251 participants in UK Biobank. Prevalent gout was identified in 1,092 NHANES participants and 7,128 UK Biobank participants. Gout occurred in 6,418 UK Biobank participants over a median follow-up of 13.8 years. Overall, participants with gout were older, predominantly male, less physically active, more likely to have overweight/obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking history, and greater socioeconomic disadvantage compared with those who had no gout.

In NHANES, each 1-year increase in KDMAge or PhenoAge advance was associated with 4-percent increased odds of gout (odds ratio [OR], 1.04, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.05). In UK Biobank, accelerated biological ageing was associated with a higher higher risk of incident gout (KDMAge advance: hazard ratio [HR], 1.80, 95 percent CI, 1.71–1.90; PhenoAge advance: HR, 1.69, 95 percent CI, 1.60–1.78).

Among participants with gout, accelerated biological aging was associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR range, 1.21–2.34).