Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Chronic Disease Management Program for Gout
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Recurrent or Tophaceous Gout
- Sponsor
- Kaiser Permanente
- Enrollment
- 104
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Serum Uric Acid Level
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 11 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of a pharmacist-staffed, protocol-based chronic disease management program compared to patients receiving usual care in achieving a target serum uric acid level in patients with recurrent gout.
Detailed Description
Gout is a chronic condition with intermittent symptoms and should be managed through an outcome-based disease management approach. Unlike other common chronic conditions, strategies for population management in gout patients have not been tested. The study will identify adult members of Kaiser Permanente (KP) Northern California with a diagnosis of gout and 3 or more outpatient or Emergency Department visits for gout over a 1-year period preceding study enrollment. These patients will be randomized to either an active management group, or to usual care. The participants will be enrolled and followed over a period of 26 weeks. The primary outcome to be measured will be the attainment and maintenance of a uric acid lowering regimen targeted to achieve serum uric acid level of 6.0 mg/dl or less. The treatment protocol will use standard treatment guidelines to lower and maintain uric acid levels to less than or equal to 6.0 mg/dl (or maximum doses of uric acid lowering medications) and provide patient education and dietary counseling. Monitoring and medication management will be carried out by a licensed clinical pharmacist under the supervision of an experienced rheumatologist. Control subjects will have regular monitoring of serum uric acid levels and will be provided with educational material and dietary counseling, but otherwise receive usual care. The demonstration that a chronic disease management approach to gout care can improve the health and reduce morbidity in patients with gout may illuminate a simple path towards improved quality of life and reduced morbidity in this growing population of patients.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Three or more outpatient/ED visits in a 24-month period prior to selection for study with one of these primary visit diagnoses:
- •Gouty arthropathy
- •Gout, unspecified
- •Gout with other specified manifestations
- •Tophaceous gout of ear (274.81) or other sites
- •Gouty nephropathy
- •At least 2 years of continuous Kaiser Foundation Hospital Plan membership
- •Baseline uric acid level above 7.0mg/dl
Exclusion Criteria
- •Current cancer diagnosis with active treatment
- •End stage renal disease
- •Pregnant or lactating
- •Patients with a diagnosis of dementia
- •Terminally ill patients
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Serum Uric Acid Level
Time Frame: change from baseline at 6 months follow up
attainment and maintenance of a serum uric acid level of 6.0 mg/dl or less. The outcome will be considered positive if that level is attained and the 6 month follow up value remains at the target level.
Secondary Outcomes
- Serum Creatinine(0, 12, and 26 weeks)
- Serum Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)(0, 12, and 26 weeks)
- Gout flares(0, 12, and 26 weeks)