RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The gout diagnosis
JF Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
JO Cleve Clin J Med
FD Cleveland Clinic
SP S17
OP S21
VO 75
IS 7 suppl 5
A1 Mandell, Brian F.
A1 Dore, Robin K.
YR 2008
UL http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/7_suppl_5/S17.abstract
AB Synovial fluid aspiration and analysis is the gold standard for making the diagnosis of gout but is not always performed when indicated in clinical practice. In clinical situations when joint aspiration simply cannot be performed, a presumptive (or clinical) diagnosis of gout may be made in consultation with published recommendations and criteria from expert societies. A thorough patient history and physical examination are critical to a presumptive diagnosis of gout, as is serum urate measurement at the time of an acute attack and at follow-up 2 weeks later.