Gout is best described as which of the following?

Gout is best described as which of the following?

• A. Degenerative joint disease
• B. Inflammatory disease of joints, most commonly affecting the great toe
• C. Autoimmune disease
• D. Neuropathic pain syndrome

Answer: (C)

Gout is an inflammatory arthritis caused by deposition of monosodium urate crystals in joints, which triggers a robust inflammatory response and explains the sudden, severe pain and swelling. It most classically affects the great toe, though other joints can be involved. This description fits best because the core feature is crystal-induced inflammation, not a degenerative wear-and-tear process, an autoimmune attack, or nerve-related pain. Degenerative joint disease describes osteoarthritis; autoimmune diseases involve autoantibodies and immune-mediated tissue destruction (like rheumatoid arthritis); neuropathic pain is due to nerve damage.

Gout is an inflammatory arthritis caused by deposition of monosodium urate crystals in joints, which triggers a robust inflammatory response and explains the sudden, severe pain and swelling. It most classically affects the great toe, though other joints can be involved. This description fits best because the core feature is crystal-induced inflammation, not a degenerative wear-and-tear process, an autoimmune attack, or nerve-related pain. Degenerative joint disease describes osteoarthritis; autoimmune diseases involve autoantibodies and immune-mediated tissue destruction (like rheumatoid arthritis); neuropathic pain is due to nerve damage.