A new analysis of UK records offers “the first general population-based evidence” that gout may protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers identified 309 new cases of Alzheimer’s disease among 59,224 patients with gout, which they matched with 1,942 cases among 238,805 people without gout over a median five-year follow-up. After allowing for potential confounders, gout patients were 24 per cent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than controls.

No association emerged between osteoarthritis and Alzheimer’s disease, which the authors included as a negative control. The reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease in gout patients was similar in those with (35 per cent reduction) and without (22 per cent) cardiovascular disease.

The inverse association persisted in other sub-groups including: men (20 per cent) and women (28 per cent); those <75 years of age (21 per cent) and 75-90 years of age (28 per cent); and low (22 per cent) and high (29 per cent) social deprivation.

The authors say the findings support uric acid’s “purported neuroprotective role”. If future studies confirm the results, investigations should assess whether uric acid can “prevent progression of [this] common and devastating condition”. (Ann Rheum Dis doi:10.1136/ annrheumdis-2014-206917)