The diagnosis of gout is based on clinical manifestations, laboratory tests and imaging tests. It should be analyzed and judged by combining the above factors.
1. Clinical manifestations: gout is most common in men over 40 years old, manifesting as hyperuricemia, recurrent acute arthritis, gouty stone and chronic arthritis, gouty nephropathy, acute renal failure, and so on. Its natural course is divided into three stages.
(1) Asymptomatic stage: only hyperuricemia without symptoms, some patients can be in this stage for life.
(2) Acute arthritis and intermittent phase: often manifested as sudden onset of severe pain in the joints at midnight or early in the morning, unilateral 1st metatarsophalangeal joints are the most common; episodes are self-limiting and can be relieved on their own; they can be accompanied by hyperuricemia, fever, etc., and uric acid crystals can be seen in the joint fluids or gout stones.
(3) Gout stone and chronic arthritis stage: gout stone is the main manifestation in this stage, and the involved joints show asymmetric irregular swelling and pain.
2. Laboratory tests: gout patients often show increased blood uric acid, increased uric acid, joint fluid and gout stone examination can be seen in uric acid crystals.
3. Imaging examination: a large number of gout stones deposited in the joints can lead to joint destruction. Ultrasound examination of joints can be seen double track sign or uneven hypoechoic and hypoechoic mixed mass shadow, which is a more specific manifestation of gout. x-ray examination can be seen in the affected joints, soft tissue swelling, joint surface irregularities, etc., penetrating chisel-like, worm-eaten-like bone defects is a characteristic manifestation.
It is recommended that gout patients should go to regular hospitals in time, after a clear diagnosis, follow the doctor’s instructions to standardize the diagnosis and treatment.