US Today reports that research has identified a novel molecular pathway that causes gout and its progression to joint tissue erosion.

The body makes uric acid when it breaks down purines found in the body, meat and some beverages. Hyperuricemia, an elevated level of uric acid in the blood, can lead to the formation of uric acid crystals in a joint, causing inflammation. People with gout also often have high levels of uric acid in their synovial fluid. However, hyperuricemia does not always cause gout.

Theodore R. Fields, MD, FACP,  rheumatologist at HSS who was not involved in the study, said the results illustrate more can be learned about the pathogenesis of gout.

“It makes sense that factors like lubricin deficiency might play a role in some patients, because we still have major gaps in our knowledge of why some patients get gout and others don’t, even when both have the same serum uric acid levels,” he said.

Read the full article at ustoday.news.