Basic characteristics of the study population
| Characteristic | No. of control patients (%)* n = 62 234 | No. of patients with gout (%)* n = 62 234 | Standardized difference† |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age at index, mean ± SD | 62.3 ± 15.1 | 62.4 ± 15.1 | |
| Male | 45 951 (73.8) | 45 951 (73.8) | |
| Median follow-up (IQR) | 5.7 (3.1–9.1) | 5.7 (3.1–9.1) | |
| Body mass index | |||
| Normal (18.5–24.9) | 19 602 (31.5) | 12 312 (19.8) | 0.440 |
| Underweight (< 18.5) | 1393 (2.2) | 694 (1.1) | |
| Overweight (25.29.9) | 22 149 (35.6) | 23 340 (37.5) | |
| Obese (> 30) | 12 333 (19.8) | 22 285 (35.8) | |
| Missing | 6757 (10.9) | 3603 (5.8) | |
| Smoking status | |||
| Never or ex-smoker | 53 234 (85.5) | 55 764 (89.6) | 0.123 |
| Current smokers | 9000 (14.5) | 6470 (10.4) | |
| Charlson index (IQR) | |||
| 0 | 30 429 (48.9) | 23 633 (38.0) | 0.272 |
| 1–2 | 18 113 (29.1) | 18 297 (29.4) | |
| 3–4 | 8312 (13.4) | 11 088 (17.8) | |
| > 5 | 5380 (8.6) | 9216 (14.8) | |
| Deprivation | |||
| 1 (least deprived) | 15 438 (24.8) | 15 211 (24.4) | 0.009 |
| 2 | 15 537 (25.0) | 15 552 (25.0) | |
| 3 | 12 639 (20.3) | 12 739 (20.5) | |
| 4 | 10 770 (17.3) | 10 880 (17.5) | |
| 5 (most deprived) | 7788 (12.5) | 7794 (12.5) | |
| Missing | 62 (0.1) | 58 (0.1) | |
| Diabetes | 6004 (9.6) | 7677 (12.3) | 0.086 |
| Hypertension | 13 172 (21.2) | 21 318 (34.3) | 0.297 |
| Acetylsalicylic acid use | 13 235 (21.3) | 18 505 (29.7) | 0.195 |
| Thiazide use | 11 936 (19.2) | 21 033 (33.8) | 0.335 |
| Alcohol consumption | |||
| Never or ex-drinker | 8530 (13.7) | 7729 (12.4) | 0.269 |
| Current (< 10 units/wk) | 28 198 (45.3) | 26 005 (41.8) | |
| Current (≥ 10 units/wk) | 14 096 (22.6) | 20 898 (33.6) | |
| Missing | 11 410 (18.3) | 7602 (12.2) | |