The prevalence and risk factors of gouty arthritis among fishermen in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to explore the prevalence and risk factors of gout among fishermen in the Niger Delta.

Methods: A total of 300 fishermen, aged 25–65 years, were recruited through stratified sampling. Data on demographic characteristics, seafood and alcohol consumption, physical activity, obesity, and family history of gout were collected using structured questionnaires and clinical assessments. Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify significant predictors of gout.

Results: The study found that the prevalence of gout was 27%, with the highest occurrence among participants aged 46–55 years. Significant risk factors included high seafood intake (OR = 3.2, P < 0.01), alcohol consumption (OR = 2.8, P < 0.01), obesity (OR = 1.9, P = 0.03), physical inactivity (OR = 1.7, P = 0.04), and family history of gout (OR: 1.5, P = 0.05). Seafood consumption was identified as the most significant predictor of gout.

Conclusions: This study revealed a significant prevalence of gout among fishermen in the Niger Delta, with high seafood consumption, alcohol intake, obesity, family history and physical inactivity identified as major contributors. Targeted public health interventions, such as dietary education programs, campaigns to reduce alcohol consumption, initiatives to promote physical activity, and regular health screenings, are essential to mitigate the prevalence and impact of gout among fishermen.

Keywords

Prevalence / gout / uric acid / hyperuricemia / Niger Delta / fishermen / seafood

References

[1] Li R, Yu K, Li C. Dietary factors and risk of gout and hyperuricemia: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2018; 27: 1344-56.

[2] Parisi JM, Kuo J, Rebok GW, Xue QL, Fried LP, Gruenewald TL, et al. Increases in lifestyle activities as a result of experience Corps® participation. J Urban Health. 2015; 92: 55-66.

[3] Ahmad MI, Masood S, Furlanetto DM, Nicolaou S. Urate Crystals; Beyond Joints. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021; 8: 649505.

[4] Saag KG, Mikuls TR. Recent advances in the epidemiology of gout. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2005; 7: 235-41.

[5] Silva RPD. Investigation of oxidative metabolism of uric acid and its role in redox processes in inflammation [dissertation]. São Paulo: Universidade de São Paulo; 2020.

[6] Martillo MA, Nazzal L, Crittenden DB. The crystallization of monosodium urate. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2014; 16: 400.

[7] Shi Y, Mucsi AD, Ng G. Monosodium urate crystals in inflammation and immunity. Immunol Rev. 2010; 233: 203-17.

[8] Pláteník J. Pathobiochemistry of Metabolic Disorders: Limits of Inner Maintenance. Karolinum Press; 2024.

[9] Tsushima Y, Nishizawa H, Tochino Y, Nakatsuji H, Sekimoto R, Nagao H, et al. Uric acid secretion from adipose tissue and its increase in obesity. J Biol Chem. 2013; 288: 27138-49.

[10] Thottam GE, Krasnokutsky S, Pillinger MH. Gout and Metabolic Syndrome: a Tangled Web. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2017; 19: 60.

[11] Sikora JP, Karawani J, Sobczak J. Neutrophils and the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS). Int J Mol Sci. 2023; 24: 13469.

[12] McCormick N, Rai SK, Lu N, Yokose C, Curhan GC, Choi HK. Estimation of Primary Prevention of Gout in Men Through Modification of Obesity and Other Key Lifestyle Factors. JAMA Netw Open. 2020; 3: e2027421.

[13] Danve A, Sehra ST, Neogi T. Role of diet in hyperuricemia and gout. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2021; 35: 101723.

[14] Kamatani N, Jinnah HA, Hennekam RCM, van Kuilenburg ABP. 6 - Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism. In: Pyeritz RE, Korf BR, Grody WW, editors. Emery and Rimoin’s Principles and Practice of Medical Genetics and Genomics (Seventh Edition). Academic Press; 2021. pp. 183-234.

[15] Kigbu A, Ibrahim HY, Madaki RD, Ogezi E. Socio-economic activities of fishing communities and its effects on the status of fishery resources in Lake Feferuwa Nasarawa State, North Central, Nigeria. Res Rural Dev. 2014; 26: 226.

[16] Ngajilo D, Jeebhay MF. Occupational injuries and diseases in aquaculture-a review of literature. Aquaculture. 2019; 507: 40-55.

[17] Ighedosa SU. Climate change: Vulnerability of the Niger Delta region, in Nigeria. IJECC. 2019; 9: 764-88.

[18] McAdams DeMarco MA, Maynard JW, Baer AN, Gelber AC, Young JH, et al. Diuretic use, increased serum urate levels, and risk of incident gout in a population-based study of adults with hypertension: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort study. Arthritis Rheum. 2012; 64: 121-9.

[19] Alikor CA, Emem-Chioma PC, Odia OJ. Prevalence of hyperuricaemia in a rural population of Nigerian Niger Delta region. Niger J Med. 2013; 22: 187-92.

[20] Kim H, Do H, Son CN, Jang JW, Choi SS, Moon KW. Effects of Genetic Risk and Lifestyle Habits on Gout: A Korean Cohort Study. J Korean Med Sci. 2025; 40: e1.

[21] Kaneko K, Tsuruga K, Takayanagi F, Fukuuchi T, Yamaoka N, Seki R, et al. Daily Amount of Purine in Commonly Recommended Well-Balanced Diets in Japan and Overseas. Nutrients. 2024; 16: 4066.

[22] Burke BT, Köttgen A, Law A, Grams M, Baer AN, Coresh J, et al. Gout in Older Adults: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2016; 71: 536-42.

[23] Huang X, Chen X, Liu Q, Zhang Z, Miao J, Lai Y, et al. The relationship between education attainment and gout, and the mediating role of modifiable risk factors: a Mendelian randomization study. Front Public Health. 2024; 11: 1269426.

[24] Roddy E, Doherty M. Epidemiology of gout. Arthritis Res Ther. 2010; 12: 223.

[25] Kim KH, Choi IA, Kim HJ, Swan H, Kazmi SZ, Hong G, et al. Familial Risk of Gout and Interaction With Obesity and Alcohol Consumption: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Korea. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2023; 75: 1955-66.

[26] Winder M, Owczarek AJ, Mossakowska M, Broczek K, Grodzicki T, Wierucki Ł, et al. Prevalence of Hyperuricemia and the Use of Allopurinol in Older Poles-Results from a Population-Based PolSenior Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18: 387.

[27] Yu Q, Shen HC, Hu YC, Chen YF, Tung TH. Prevalence and Metabolic Factors of Hyperuricemia in an Elderly Agricultural and Fishing Population in Taiwan. Arch Rheumatol. 2017; 32: 149-57.

[28] Babiker MA. Intake of purine-rich foods, total meat, seafood, and dairy products and relationship to serum uric acid. Am J Biomed Sci. 2016; 8: 46-55.

[29] Choi HK, Atkinson K, Karlson EW, Willett W, Curhan G. Purine-rich foods, dairy and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men. N Engl J Med. 2004; 350: 1093-103.

[30] Dehlin M, Jacobsson L, Roddy E. Global epidemiology of gout: prevalence, incidence, treatment patterns and risk factors. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2020; 16: 380-90.

[31] Nieradko-Iwanicka B. The role of alcohol consumption in pathogenesis of gout. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2022; 62: 7129-37.

[32] Cai N, Chen M, Feng P, Zheng Q, Zhu X, Yang S, et al. Relationships between obesity and prevalence of gout in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional population-based study. BMC Endocr Disord. 2024; 24: 137.

[33] Singh JA, Gaffo A. Gout epidemiology and comorbidities. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2020; 50: S11-6.

[34] Pande I. An update on gout. Indian J Rheumatol. 2006; 1: 60-5.

[35] Syed AAS, Fahira A, Yang Q, Chen J, Li Z, Chen H, et al. The Relationship between Alcohol Consumption and Gout: A Mendelian Randomization Study. Genes (Basel). 2022; 13: 557.

[36] Li F, Chen S, Qiu X, Wu J, Tan M, Wang M. Serum Uric Acid Levels and Metabolic Indices in an Obese Population: A Cross-Sectional Study. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2021; 14: 627-35.

[37] Evans PL, Prior JA, Belcher J, Mallen CD, Hay CA, Roddy E. Obesity, hypertension and diuretic use as risk factors for incident gout: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Arthritis Res Ther. 2018; 20: 136.

[38] Jablonski K, Young NA, Henry C, Caution K, Kalyanasundaram A, Okafor I, et al. Physical activity prevents acute inflammation in a gout model by downregulation of TLR2 on circulating neutrophils as well as inhibition of serum CXCL1 and is associated with decreased pain and inflammation in gout patients. PLoS One. 2020; 15: e0237520.

[39] Jia E, Zhu H, Geng H, Liu R, Wo X, Zeng Y, et al. The effects of aerobic exercise on body composition in overweight and obese patients with gout: a randomized, open-labeled, controlled trial. Trials. 2022; 23: 745.

[40] Klongthalay S, Suriyaprom K. Increased Uric Acid and Life Style Factors Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Thais. Ethiop J Health Sci. 2020; 30: 199-208.

[41] Zitt E, Fischer A, Lhotta K, Concin H, Nagel G. Sex- and age-specific variations, temporal trends and metabolic determinants of serum uric acid concentrations in a large population-based Austrian cohort. Sci Rep. 2020; 10: 7578.

[42] Yang Y, Liu Z. The changing burden of gout in adults aged 70 and above based on the global burden of disease 2019. Front Public Health. 2025; 13: 1455726.

[43] Li L, Zhang Y, Zeng C. Update on the epidemiology, genetics, and therapeutic options of hyperuricemia. Am J Transl Res. 2020; 12: 3167-81.

[44] Saag KG, Choi H. Epidemiology, risk factors, and lifestyle modifications for gout. Arthritis Res Ther. 2006; 8: S2.

[45] Courage UU, Stephen DP, Lucius IC, Ani C, Oche AO, Emmanuel AI, et al. Prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases in a semi-urban Nigerian community: results of a cross-sectional survey using COPCORD methodology. Clin Rheumatol. 2017; 36: 2509-16.

[46] Arinze OK, Ohagwu KA, Adelowo OO, Chukwuonye II. Prevalence and predictors of gout in lagos: a community based study. Int J Clin Rheumatol. 2022; 17: 068-77.