LAUSR

Background Uric acid (UA) is the end-product of purine metabolism in humans. Hyperuricemia or the elevated levels of serum UA have been implicated in the development of multiple health problems, including gout. Several studies show that UA predicts changes in behaviour over-time. The importance of these behavioural changes can affect implementation of psychotherapeutic intervention and rehabilitation. However, there is a dearth of literature to support the relationship between gout-related characteristics and the aggressive and depressive behaviour of individuals with gouty arthritis. Objectives The primary aim of this study was to determine the predictors of aggression and depression tendencies through exploring the association of gout-related characteristics with the level of aggression and depression among adults aged 30–79 years old diagnosed with gouty arthritis within the healthcare facilities of Manila. Methods This study employed an observational, cross-sectional multi-centre design that was conducted in various healthcare facilities within the city of Manila. The participants were composed of 75 Filipino individuals diagnosed with gouty arthritis. Results Using logistic regression with significance level of p≤0.05, findings revealed that there were significant associations between the aggression and gout-related characteristics, specifically the average gout pain level (p=0.013), gout duration (p=0.022) and serum UA (p=0.018). Furthermore, results also showed that there were significant correlations between the depression and gout-related characteristics such as self-reported comorbidities (p=0.020), average gout pain level (p=0.032), serum UA (p=0.045), number of joints with gout (p=0.016), and number of gout attacks (p=0.029). Conclusions Findings revealed that the higher the values are in the gout-related characteristics, the higher the level of aggression and depression among gout patients. These significant associations can be considered as predictors of aggression and depression tendencies which validates the necessity to address the biopsychosocial aspect of an individual and to consider an effective approach on psychotherapeutic intervention and rehabilitation. References [1] Mrug, S., & Mrug, M. (2016). Uric acid excretion predicts increased aggression in urban adolescents. Physiology & Behavior, 163, 144–148. [2] Tao, R., & Li, H. (2015). High serum uric acid level in adolescent depressive patients. Journal of Affective Disorders, 174, 464–466. [3] Prior, J. A., Mallen, C. D., Chandratre, P., Muller, S., Richardson, J., & Roddy, E. (2016). Gout characteristics associate with depression, but not anxiety, in primary care: Baseline findings from a prospective cohort study. Joint Bone Spine, 83, 553–558. [4] Galanti, G.-A. (2000). Filipino attitudes toward pain medication: A lesson in cross-cultural care. West J Med, 173, 278–279. [5] Neogi, T., Jansen, T. L., Dalbeth, N., Fransen, J., Schumacher, H. R., Berendsen, D., … Ogdie, A. (2015). 2015 Gout Classification Criteria. Arthritis & Rheumatology, 67(10), 2557–2568. Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of Dr. Evelyn Salido of Philippine General Hospital, Dr. Melanie Turingan of University of Santo Tomas, Ms. Jean Valerie Bayhon of Dela Salle University and Mr. Albert Garcia of Whealth, Inc. for their unwavering help and support in this research study. Disclosure of Interest None declared