Allopurinol use and type 2 diabetes incidence among patients with gout: A VA retrospective cohort study

Anastasia Slobodnick 1 2, Michael Toprover 1 2, Jeffrey Greenberg 2, Daria B Crittenden 2, Virginia C Pike 1 2, Yingzhi Qian 3, Hua Zhong 3, Michael H Pillinger 1 2

Main idea: In this study, allopurinol use was not associated with decreased diabetes incidence.

Abstract

To assess the impact of allopurinol on diabetes in a retrospective cohort of Veterans Affairs patients with gout. The New York Harbor VA computerized patient record system was searched to identify patients with an ICD-9 code for gout meeting at least 4 modified 1977 American Rheumatology Association gout diagnostic criteria. Over an average of 7.9±4.8 years of follow-up, there was no significant difference in diabetes incidence between the allopurinol and non-allopurinol groups. A lower diabetes incidence in the longest versus shortest quartiles of allopurinol use was attributable to a longer duration of medical follow-up.

Source NIH