Pain Management in Gout – A Video Interview With Lawrence Edwards, MD

September 2021 has been declared as both Pain Awareness and Arthritis Awareness Month.

An estimated 20% of Americans have chronic pain, with 8.0% of US adults experiencing high-impact chronic pain.¹ Gout, one of the most common and painful forms of inflammatory arthritis, affects more than 9.2 million Americans, only 10% of whom are receiving adequate treatment for their condition.² Research has shown that chronic pain, such as in gout, is associated with restrictions in mobility and daily activities, increase in anxiety and depression, reduced quality of life, as well as dependence on opioids.¹

According to results from a 2019 survey by the Gout Education Society, patients with gout reported that a flare of the condition was more painful than a severe burn (39%), kidney stones (36%), and breaking a bone (34%).³

Recognizing the importance of addressing and managing pain in patients with gout and gout flares and the value of collaboration between clinical specialties to provide high-quality patient care, we spoke with Lawrence Edwards, MD, MACP, MACR, professor of medicine, program director, and vice chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of Florida, and the chairman of the Gout Education Society.

The full transcript for this interview is available here. 

Disclosures: Dr Edwards declared affiliations with Atom Biosciences, Shanton Pharmaceuticals, and Horizon Therapeutics.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevalence of chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain among adults — United States, 2016. Published online September 14, 2018. Accessed September 22, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6736a2.htm
2. Gout Education Society. Accessed September 22, 2021. https://gouteducation.org/
3. Gout patients bear a tremendous burden, research reveals [news release]. Gout Education Society. Published online May 22, 2019. Accessed September 22, 2021. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gout-patients-bear-a-tremendous-burden-research-reveals-300854747.html