The discharge statistics of 1012 in-patients with gout in Scotland during a 10-year period were analysed. Almost one fifth were female and had a significantly higher mean age than the males. There was a curiously high incidence of emergency admission in those with gout as the sole or main diagnosis. Social classes I and II did contain a small but significant preponderance of gouty individuals; however more than 60 per cent of patients belonged to social classes III to V. The known high incidence of cardiac and renal disease in these patients was confirmed. One per cent of patients were hypothyroid.
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