AUDIT OF PRESCRIPTIONS OF GOUT AND HYPERURICAEMIA :A THREE CENTRE STUDY FROM EASTERN INDIA

Volume : VIII, Issue : VI, June - 2018

Dr. R Srinath, Dr. Vishal Marwaha

Aims: To evaluate the prescription pattern in cases of gout and hyperuricaemia.

Settings and Design: Prescriptions of gout and hyperuricaemia were audited by one Rheumatologist & one Physician in

rst centre and two physicians in the second centre and one physician in the third centre.

Methods and Material: 150 prescriptions were audited in the rst centre and 100 were audited in the second centre and 50 prescriptions were

audited in the third centre. The period of audit was from 01 Jul 2016 to 30 Jun 2017.

Results: A total of 300 prescriptions were audited. They included 280 males and 20 females. These included 289 patients who had suffered an

acute attack of gouty arthritis (monoarticular or polyarticular). 11 patients had only hyperuricaemia but no attack of gouty arthritis.Age ranged

from 32 to 81 years.It was observed that 244 (81.33 %) patients were prescribed only NSAID’s for duration of 2 to 15 days.

Conclusions: It was observed that in some of patients of gouty arthritis, Tab Allopurinol and Tab Febuxostat are being prescribed during acute

attack of gouty arthritis. This is an inappropriate practice. In addition, dietary advice was rendered to patients to stop pulses, milk and milk

products and certain vegetables which is incorrect and not evidence based.