Cherry consumption and decreased risk of recurrent gout attacks

Zhang Y, Neogi T, Chen C, Chaisson C, Hunter DJ, Choi HK · Arthritis and Rheumatism

Cherry intake over a 2-day window was associated with a 35% lower risk of a gout attack (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.50-0.85); cherry extract behaved similarly (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.30-0.98). Combined with allopurinol, the risk was 75% lower than with neither (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.15-0.42). The association held across sex, obesity, purine intake, alcohol and diuretic strata.

Population

Adults with physician-diagnosed gout, followed online for 1 year

Intervention

Self-reported cherry or cherry-extract intake in the 2 days before an attack

Comparator

Matched 2-day control periods in the same person (case-crossover)

Limitations

Observational and entirely self-reported, including the exposure and the attack. Case-crossover controls for stable personal traits but not for what changes around a flare — people alter what they eat when they feel one coming, which runs the causal arrow backwards. Gout, not osteoarthritis.