Doctors Don’t Always Agree on Gout’s Origins and Treatment

How do rheumatologists and primary care physicians differ in treating patients with gout? A survey funded by Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Zurampic (lesinurad), shows that while they generally agree on most matters, there are differences in their definition of the disease and its treatment - which can be life-threatening for some patients. The survey, which was conducted by Edelman Intelligence between Aug. 16 - 22, 2016, includes feedback from 250 primary care providers and 100 rheumatologists. The survey shows that instead of managing the disease from a comprehensive standpoint, patients too often tend to seek care only during flares. And, as a result, half of patients are not meeting their serum uric acid (SUA) level targets (