A RESEARCH project into the causes of gout among East Coast patients, particularly Maori, could bear fruit sooner rather than later, scientists say.
"We believe that this is a situation where, rather than conducting the research then looking for solutions, the solutions in terms of medication are already out there," said Tony Merriman, of the University of Otago’s biochemistry unit.

"What we hope to do by pinpointing the reasons behind the high incidence of gout, especially in Maori men, is to help doctors make decisions about what they prescribe, and for who."
Dr Merriman and genetic research associate Jade Hollis-Moffatt have spent the past week on the East Coast. As well as meeting with community groups and clinical staff in Ruatoria, Tokomaru Bay, Tolaga Bay and Gisborne, they have been in talks with health agency Ngati Porou Hauroa (NPH).

"It was very interesting to talk to people about their experiences with gout, or the experiences of friends or whanau," Dr Merriman said.
"It seems that, whoever you talk to, they have gout or know someone that does."
With the population on the Coast being predominantly Maori, the high incidence of gout did not surprise the researchers.

They already knew that, in New Zealand, gout affected more than 10 percent of Maori men and about 3 percent of women (compared to 1 to 2 percent of Caucasian men). For Pacific Islanders, the figures were even worse — over 15 percent of Pacific Island men suffered from gout in their lifetimes.
The effects can, quite literally, be crippling. Caused by an excess of uric acid metabolism, the condition takes the form of painful swelling of the joints that can become chronic and result in deformity.

Now that they have background information about gout on the Coast, the researchers plan to put a proposal to NPH, whereby the health agency identifies patients diagnosed with gout and invites them to be part of the study.

If NPH approves the project, the next step would be to seek funding to pay for a nurse to administer the project from the Gisborne end.
"What we envisage is having someone who can take blood samples and mouth swabs and send them down to us at Otago so we can process them in the lab there," Dr Merriman said.
"It would be important, too, for the nurse to talk to patients about their experiences of gout and the things that trigger it," Dr Hollis-Moffatt said.