Prospective 12-month ultrasound evaluation of carotid atherosclerosis, urate deposits, and musculoskeletal inflammation in newly diagnosed gout
Authors' conclusion
After 12 months of urate-lowering treatment, the absence of musculoskeletal inflammation at ultrasound in gout patients was closely linked to improvements in carotid atheromatous plaques.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutive patients with crystal-proven gout starting ULT, rheumatology unit78 underwent M12
- Participants
- 103 patients
- Exposure
- Absent vs persistent power Doppler (PD) signal in relation to carotid plaque changes
- Outcome
- Association between changes in carotid arteries (increased intima-media thickness, atheromatous plaques), urate deposits and PD signal on US
- Follow-up
- M0-M6 and M6-M12
Methodological detailssingle-centre, observational, consecutive patients, 91 (88.3%) underwent M6 and 78 (75.7%) M12 evaluations, near of 97% received ULT; almost half used lipid-lowering drugs
- Single-centre
- Observational
- Consecutive patients
- 91 (88.3%) underwent M6 and 78 (75.7%) M12 evaluations
- Near of 97% received ULT; almost half used lipid-lowering drugs
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Carotid plaque regression · M12
P = 0.017
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Carotid vs musculoskeletal changes · M6
- No association between changes in carotid and musculoskeletal variables
Baseline US findings · M0
- Mean number of locations with deposits
- 9.9 (SD 4.1)
- Mean number of locations with positive PD signal
- 1.1 (SD 1.1)
- Carotid atheromatous plaque
- 59%
Original publication
Prospective 12-month ultrasound evaluation of carotid atherosclerosis, urate deposits, and musculoskeletal inflammation in newly diagnosed gout. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Published 18 November 2025. doi:10.
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