“This appears to be particularly relevant since gout patients receiving dose escalation and achieving serum urate goal appeared to have lower cardiovascular mortality in sensitivity analyses,” they noted.
There was a 7% reduction in cardiovascular mortality in a sensitivity analysis limited to dose escalators who achieved goal, though that finding did not reach statistical significance, Dr. Coburn and his coinvestigators reported (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.76-1.14).
“Taken together, these results add to the persistent uncertainty regarding the role of urate-lowering therapy in reducing mortality risk,” the investigators concluded.
The study was supported by a Rheumatology Research Foundation Health Professional Research Preceptorship, a University of Nebraska Medical Center Graduate Fellowship Grant, and the Nebraska Arthritis Outcomes Research Center. No information was provided on author disclosures.
SOURCE: Coburn B et al. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2018 Mar 7. doi: 10.1002/art.40486.