[Austrian 3e-recommendations for diagnosis and management of gout 2013].

Background: Gout is the most common inflammatory joint disease in the Western world, with increasing prevalence. Like former 3e-initiatives (Experts-Evidence-Education) dealing with other rheumatological problems, this initiative aimed at the development of international recommendations for the diagnosis and management of gout and hyperuricemia based on a systematic literature research.

Methods: In the participating countries 10 national questions were generated via a Delphi-process. These questions were collected and out of this pool 10 international questions were formulated. Afterwards a systematic literature research was performed. On that basis again first national and afterwards international recommendations were generated.

Results: On the basis of the available literature an Austrian expert panel developed 10 recommendations on diagnosis and management of gout and hyperuricemia. After publication of the international 3e-recommendations we hereby present the national Austrian questions and expert-recommendations for diagnosis and management of gout 2013 followed by a comparison of the Austrian and the international recommendations.