Recent reporting suggests gout is not just an “older man” disease anymore—it’s showing up in younger people and still affects adults.
- A recent global analysis reported gout case burden rising among people aged 15–39, with the burden increasing from 1990 to 2021 and projections suggesting it will continue to rise in coming years.[1]
- Coverage also notes gout is still “very much with us” and appears to be on the rise again, with risk linked to factors like obesity and related conditions.[2]
So, “how old is gout”?
If you mean how old (i.e., age group) people with gout are: news coverage indicates gout is increasingly seen in teens, young adults, and middle-aged adults, not only in older age.[3][5]
If you mean how old the disease is historically: I don’t have enough reliable, up-to-date sources in the material I pulled to answer that part precisely.
If you tell me which meaning you intended (“age of patients” vs “how long the disease has existed”), I’ll tailor the answer.
Sources
A global study reveals an alarming rise in gout cases among young people aged 15 to 39, with rates increasing 66% from 1990 to 2021 across 204 countries worldwide.
www.foxnews.comThere is no national-level tracking for gout, but from interviews with doctors, the disease has started striking teens and young men in their 20s too. Dr Faith Chia Li-ann, senior consultant at Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s Department of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, said the hospital has a patient who started having attacks at the age of nine. He has a strong family history of gout. A general practitioner in private practice said that while most of his gout patients are in their 30s to...
www.ttsh.com.sgKeywords: Hyperuricemia, Gout, Pathogenesis, Clinical picture of gout, Imaging modalities, Management of gout
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govIt is one of the most painful medical conditions anyone can have. Although it used to be thought of as a disease that affects those later in life, things are changing at a rapid pace -- gout is now hitting younger generations.
www.cbsnews.comUnless you or someone you know has experienced gout, you may think of it as a disease from the distant past that doesn’t get much mention today. But gout is still very much with us, and the number of Americans affected is increasing alongside the increases in obesity and other associated conditions. “Somewhat simplified, gout occurs when excess uric acid forms into crystals within a joint, resulting in inflammation, pain and other symptoms,” Shuja Yousuf, M.D., said. “The good news is, gout is...
www.merithealthriveroaks.comToday's Geriatric Medicine - News & Insight for Professionals in Elder Care
www.todaysgeriatricmedicine.comUnless you or someone you know has experienced gout, you may think of it as a disease from the distant past that doesn’t get much mention today. But gout is still very much with us, and the number of Americans affected is increasing alongside the increases in obesity and other associated conditions. “Somewhat simplified, gout occurs when excess uric acid forms into crystals within a joint, resulting in inflammation, pain and other symptoms,” Shuja Yousuf, M.D., said. “The good news is, gout is...
www.merithealthmadison.comUnless you or someone you know has experienced gout, you may think of it as a disease from the distant past that doesn’t get much mention today. But gout is still very much with us, and the number of Americans affected is increasing alongside the increases in obesity and other associated conditions. “Somewhat simplified, gout occurs when excess uric acid forms into crystals within a joint, resulting in inflammation, pain and other symptoms,” Shuja Yousuf, M.D., said. “The good news is, gout is...
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