Introduction:

gouty arthritis is a persistent metabolic disease that produces an increase of the circulating uric acid, with the resulting deposit of monosodic urate crystals in the tissues.

Objective:

to characterize patients with gouty arthritis clinically and epidemiologically.

Methods:

a descriptive investigation of 72 patients with a diagnosis of gouty arthritis, assisted at Arnaldo Milián Castro Clinical Surgical University Hospital was carried out from January 2008 to December 2017.

Results:

patients between 40 and 49 years of age were the most representative group with a highest incidence in not white patients and the male sex. Obesity and hypertension prevailed as previous personal antecedents. Alcohol intake was the most represented toxic habit. A crisis of inflammation of the big toe was the more frequent starting manifestation. Swelling of soft tissues was the main radiologic alteration.

Conclusion:

gouty arthritis is present with a highest frequency in the male sex with a peak of incidence in the fourth decade of life. It is associated to bad diet habits and alcohol intake that could cause joint damage.

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