Gout was associated with a modestly decreased risk for non-vertebral or hip fractures versus rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. However, nonvertebral fractures occurred frequently in patients with either condition. Using claims data from Medicare (2008-2015), researchers conducted a cohort study of patients with gout versus RA matched on age, sex, and index date with a 1:1 ratio. They included a total of 134,157 matched pairs of patients with gout and RA with a mean age of 73.7. Risk factors for fracture were more prevalent in those with RA, while other comorbidities, including obesity, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, were more common in those with gout. During the mean 2.8 years follow-up, the incidence rates (IR)/1,000 person-year (PY) of non-vertebral fractures were 10.42 in patients with gout and 15.01 in those with RA. For hip fractures, the IRs/1,000 PY were 4.86 in those with gout and 7.73 in those with RA. The multivariable HRs associated with gout versus RA were 0.84 for non-vertebral fractures and 0.76 for hip fractures.

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