"Preliminary findings suggest a drug used to treat another disease might also reduce painful flareups in gout patients starting new medication regimens. In a new study the proteininhibitor drug rilonacept Arcalyst appeared to markedly lower the risk of gout flareups during the first few months of treatments aimed at lowering uric acid levels. While effective in lowering the risk for gout attacks in the longterm uric acidlowering treatment can initially boost the risk for flareups as it breaks up and releases the uric acid crystal deposits at the source. To reduce deposits of crystals in the joints we advise patients to initiate treatment with medications that lower levels of uric acid in the blood study author Dr. H. Ralph Schumacher Jr. a professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine said in a journal news release. Gout a debilitating and painful form of inflammatory arthritis now affects upwards of . million Americans according to the release. Flareups  which involve excruciating joint pain redness swelling and warmth can last days or weeks. The researchers wanted to learn if rilonacept could lower this shortterm risk for by neutralizing a specific target protein  interleukin  or IL  before it initiates inflammation. They looked at  gout patients in  U.S. study centers who had a history of gout flareups and high levels of uric acid. All were placed on a chronic uricacid lowering regimen of the standard drug allopurinol. About half were also given an initial doubledose injection of rilonacept  milligrams followed by a single dose for  weeks. The other half received sugar pills. Rilonacept patients were less likely to have flareups with  percent experiencing flareups threemonths into the study compared with  percent among the nonrilonacept group the researchers found. Welltolerated drugs that reduce the risk of gout flares when initiating uricacid lowering therapy could make patients more likely to continue important longterm treatments that control gout Schumacher said in the release. And this trial provides wellcontrolled evidence that this IL blocker is effective in preventing acute gout flares in this setting he added. Rilonacept appears safe and well tolerated and could increase patient adherence to longterm uratelowering therapy. The study appeared online Jan.  in the journal Arthritis  Rheumatism. Dr. Michael A. Becker a professor emeritus of medicine at the University of Chicago described the findings as very promising. However he cautioned that the high cost of rilonacept will most likely curtail its use. This is a very expensive drug he said. And insurance will be an issue. So I think you will have to carefully justify its use and define the universe of patients who are likely to be treated with it. But there are a number of patients who cant take a less expensive alternative such as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs because of their kidney function or ulcer disease Becker noted. So for this population of patients who cant tolerate cheaper medications rilonacept may be a necessary indication. More information For more on gout visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine http SOURCE Michael A. Becker professor emeritus medicine University of Chicago Arthritis  Rheumatism news release Jan."