Effect of Febuxostat on Joint Damage in Hyperuricemic Subjects With Early Gout

Gout is caused by high levels of uric acid in the body, and is associated with a broad range of comorbidities including heart disease, chronic kidney disease and additional risk factors like obesity and high blood pressure. Hyperuricemia, which is defined as an elevation in serum urate levels, develops into gout when urate crystals form from supersaturated body fluids and settle in joints and other organs. Urate-lowering therapy is used to treat hyperuricemia in patients with gout. Current treatments focus on initiating urate-lowering therapy in hyperuricemic gout patients who have experienced multiple acute gout flares within the past year. However, joint damage caused by crystal deposition may occur much earlier than previously considered. Monosodium urate crystals have been found present in the joints of people with hyperuricemia who do not have any symptoms. The presence of monosodium urate crystals would indicate that after the crystals form, they stay within the joint if serum urate levels are not reduced. Lowering uric acid levels and maintaining them may reduce acute gout flare episodes and possibly halt or reduce joint damage in patients with gout. This study will evaluate the effect of febuxostat on joint damage in hyperuricemic patients with early gout. All patients will receive gout flare prophylaxis for the first 6 months of the study. Gout flares may also be treated throughout the study. A variety of imaging techniques are in use to evaluate gout. Plain radiographs (x-rays), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) will be utilized in this study. The modified Sharp/Van Der Heijde scoring method (named after Drs. Sharp and Van Der Heijde) for assessment of x-rays has been validated in patients with chronic gout and will be used in this study for evaluating erosion and joint space narrowing. Participants are expected to have 15 visits which will include plain radiographic examinations at 5 visits, 3 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examinations and 3 DECT procedures at selected sites.