Objective: To investigate the risk factors associated with dactylitis in gout.
Methods: The questionnaires of 73 consecutive gouty patients, diagnosed according to the ACR criteria, were reviewed. They were consecutively screened for the presence of dactylitis.
Results: Seven out of 73 (9.6%) patients showed dactylitis. They had (1) longer disease duration, (2) a higher number of involved joints, (3) higher serum uric acid concentration, (4) more tophi, (5) higher ESR, and (6) a higher number of ACR criteria besides crystal identification, than the others. By logistic regression, renal stones (OR 13.3, 95% CI 1.1-158.3), upper extremity involvement (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.4-16.6), number of ACR criteria (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.3), and ESR (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1-1.04), significantly predicted dactylitis.
Conclusions: Dactylitis is a feature of gout representing an indicator of disease severity.