The investigational drug febuxostat helps lower serum uric acid levels in people with gout, says new research.The study included 760 people with gout who received either 80 milligrams or 120 milligrams of febuxostat or 300 milligrams of allopurinol once a day. Allopurinol is the most commonly used treatment for gout."More patients taking febuxostat in this trial achieved and maintained serum uric acid levels under 6mg/dL than patients taking allopurinol. In addition, this study showed febuxostat to be well-tolerated among patients with gout,” lead researcher Dr. H. Ralph Schumacher, a professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.The study found 53 percent of the patients taking 80 milligrams of febuxostat and 62 percent of those taking 120 milligrams of febuxostat achieved serum uric acid levels below 6.0 mg/dL in their last three consecutive monthly tests, compared with 21 percent of those taking allopurinol.Side effects among the patients included upper respiratory infections, musculoskeletal and connective tissue symptoms, joint-related signs and symptoms, diarrhea, headaches and an increase in liver function test results. Most of these were mild to moderate in severity.The study was presented last week at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting in San Antonio.
