Ultrasonographic measurement of carotid artery resistive index and diastolic function of the heart in gout patients.

The aim of the study was to establish the functional disorder in the blood circulation of gout patients with a method that shows early damage of the heart and vascular structures. A total of 117 patients were examined cross-sectionally by a complex multimodal ultrasonography and were divided into four groups: 37 healthy controls, 24 asymptomatic hyperuricemia, 36 gout without tophi and 20 gouty tophi. With pulsed Doppler, common carotid artery resistive index (CCARI) and parameters of the transmitral blood flow were determined: the ratio between maximal early and late flow velocities (E/A ratio) and deceleration time (DT).