By Hamish Stuart of NZPA

Wellington, Oct 23 NZPA - Thousands of New Zealand gout sufferers may not be taking enough medicine to fix the painful and disabling affliction, according to new research.

University of Otago researchers found 86 percent of study participants with the "disease of kings" could lower their levels of uric acid -- the cause of the ancient malady -- by taking more of the most commonly-used anti-gout drug, allopurinol.

Rheumatologist Lisa Stamp found by increasing the drug dose most of the 35 patients in the year-long study controlled or eliminated the disease.

The gout-causing uric acid crystals "vanished, quite a lot of the time" as the doses were increased, she told NZPA today.

Current medical guidelines, set down in the mid-1980s, set the dose at such a low level, due to fear of side-effects.

However, the lower doses made it difficult reduce uric acid and control gout, she said.

After testing the kidney function of patients, the researchers gave them up to 400 milligrams over the recommended dose.

"Allopurinol is not perfect for everyone, but clearly there is something here that needs to be investigated further," Dr Stamp said.

"We did have a few relatively minor rashes, but no serious side effects. But the numbers were small, so we need to do a bigger study to get a real handle on it."

The most recent comprehensive study of numbers of gout-afflicted people, in the 1990s, found 13 percent of Maori men and 6 to 7 percent of Pakeha men in New Zealand had the condition.

Men were much more likely to get gout than women, with beliefs attributing the condition to consuming too much good food and alcohol challenged as researchers discovered hereditary factors, she said.

"But it is increasing as people get older. Also, it is becoming more common as a reaction to some types of heart medication, and in those with kidney transplants," Dr Stamp said.

A type of arthritis, gout symptoms usually involve intense and painful swelling of single joints, most often in the feet and particularly the big toe.

Though highly treatable, the condition can lead to severe joint damage and possible immobility if left unchecked.

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