Diagnosis and management of gout: a rational approach.

Gout is one of the best understood among the rheumatological disorders and one of the most satisfying to treat. Even non-specialists should be able to diagnose and treat most patients provided some important principles are appreciated. Management of a minority of patients, including those with renal impairment is difficult and often unsatisfactory, because of restricted treatment options. In this paper, the basic principles underlying the diagnosis and management of gout are discussed first, followed by practical approaches.