While eating red meat could trigger gout attacks, the fundamental cause is high urate levels, say researchers. Photo: 123RF
Gout is a chronic illness caused by genetics rather than diet and lifestyle choices, a major international study led by the University of Otago has found.
The study - published in Nature Genetics - analysed the genetic information of 2.6 million people.
It found inherited genetics was an important part of why some people got gout and most others did not.
Senior author Professor Tony Merriman, of Otago's Department of Microbiology and Immunology, hoped the findings would remove some of the stigma around gout.
"Gout is a chronic disease with a genetic basis and is not the fault of the sufferer - the myth that gout is caused by lifestyle or diet needs to be busted," he said.
"This widespread myth causes shame in people with gout, making some people more likely to suffer in silence and not go and see the doctor to get a preventive drug that lowers urate in the blood and will prevent their pain."
Professor Merriman said while specific dietary factors, such as eating red meat, could trigger gout attacks, the fundamental cause was high urate levels - crystals in the joints - and an immune system primed to 'attack' the crystals.
"Genetics plays an important role in all of these processes."
Professor Merriman hoped the findings would lead to improved treatment for gout sufferers.
"We hope that, in time, better and more accessible treatments will become available."
Gout was the most common form of arthritis in men and it affects three to four times more men than women.
It could be effectively treated by drugs (such as allopurinol) which lowered the urate in the blood and prevented urate crystal forming in the joints, or dissolved them if they were already there.