ToolsCalculators
Acute gout diagnosis rule
Estimates the probability of gout in acute monoarthritis without joint aspiration.
Acute gout diagnosis rule
Male sex
Previous patient-reported arthritis attack
Onset within 1 day
Joint redness
First metatarsophalangeal joint involvement
Hypertension or ≥1 cardiovascular disease
Angina, MI, heart failure, stroke/TIA, or peripheral arterial disease
Serum uric acid >5.88 mg/dL (>0.35 mmol/L)
Result0 points
Score ≤4: gout unlikely (≈2.2%) — an alternative diagnosis is more probable.
- Probability of gout
- ≈2.2%
When to use
- Assessing the likelihood of gout in a primary-care patient with acute monoarthritis when synovial fluid analysis is not available.
Formula
Sum points: male sex 2, prior attack 2, onset within 1 day 0.5, joint redness 1, 1st MTP involvement 2.5, hypertension/cardiovascular disease 1.5, serum uric acid >0.35 mmol/L 3.5. ≤4 low, >4 to <8 intermediate, ≥8 high probability.