Gout in 2006: the perfect storm.

Mechanistic and therapeutic advances in gout have been moving swiftly in the past decade. Clinically, the disease is changing in character. This review discusses several of the pertinent recent developments in understanding gout and in novel therapeutics for the disease. Subjects addressed include the role of URAT1-mediated renal proximal tubule epithelial cell urate anion reabsorption in hyperuricemia. We discuss the therapeutic limitations of allopurinol and uricosurics and the potential applications of novel xanthine oxidase inhibitors and of recombinant uricase preparations. Last, we summarize understanding of the central role of the early induced innate immune response in gouty inflammation, which has suggested the potential value of new strategies for treating gouty inflammation by targeting caspase-1 or IL-1beta.