Gout Oxford Rheumatology Library Series

Gout has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, and is now the most common form of inflammatory arthritis. There have been significant developments in our understanding of the basic biology of gout over the last decade, and major advances in therapeutics have provided successful treatments for acute attacks and long-term prevention, offering clinicians effective treatment options for their patients. Part of the Oxford Rheumatology Library series, Gout provides an up-to-date summary of the pathogenesis, clinical features, and treatment approaches to this condition. The main focus is on key aspects of the biology of the disease, relevant diagnostic tools, and principles of gout management. Practical information is included to guide safe and effective prescribing of gout medications. Chapters on imaging and the future of gout management are also included. The three authors are experts in the basic biology and therapeutics of gout, and have summarized key practice points in a concise and readable manner, making this comprehensive yet practical volume an essential resource for all rheumatologists and general practitioners.

Professor Nicola Dalbeth is an academic rheumatologist who leads a clinical and laboratory programme of research in gout, an inflammatory arthritis of major significance to Aotearoa New Zealand. Her work focuses on understanding the impact and mechanisms of disease in gout. She is a founding member of the Counties Manukau District Health Board Maori Gout Action Group, and she was the Lead Clinical Advisor for the Gout Clinical Pathways (Greater Auckland Integrated Healthcare Network) and the national bpac Gout Treatment Guidelines. She has served as an Expert Panel member on the American College of Rheumatology Gout Management Guidelines, and is a steering committee member for the OMERACT gout working group and the ACR/EULAR gout classification project. Professor Lisa Stamp is a Rheumatologist at the University of Otago, Christchurch and Christchurch Hospital. She is director of the Canterbury Rheumatology Immunology Research Group and the University of Otago Arthritis Research Theme. Her research interests include individualization of drug treatments in gout and rheumatoid arthritis. Tony Merriman is an Associate Professor at the University of Otago in Dunedin. He is a genetic epidemiologist and his research involves the causes of gout, including genetic and environmental (dietary and diuretic) causes and their interactions. Since 1998, he has led a research group at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago.