Dyshormonal disorders in gout: experimental and clinical studies.

A total of 107 patients with primary gout were examined. The pituitary-gonadal system is imbalanced in male patients with gout, which manifests by hyperproduction of progesterone and suppressed production of testosterone and estradiol. These changes are more pronounced in patients with chronic arthritis and proteinuric nephropathy. Similar dyshormonal changes are experimentally simulated in rats by induction of purine metabolism disorders. Exogenous injection of androgens in experimental hyperuricemia led to normalization of purine metabolism and hormonal homeostasis.