Gout or hyperuricemia is caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the body's joints as a result of an increased seric level of the uric acid. This acid is the waste substance in the breakdown of purines found in beer, fish, mushrooms and beans. The local symptoms of Gout are redness and swelling of the affected joint, pain, heat and starkness. Gout may also produce general symptoms like fever, chills, tachycardia and general sickness.

Dehydration caused by heat and humidity are known to be triggers of the Gout acute and recurrent attacks. Most common Gout debuts at the top of the big toe.

A scientific study was made on a number of 200 subjects with at least one Gout attack in the medical history of the past year. Patients were asked to complete an on-line
Questionnaire on a specialty web-site and refer to the risk factors they have submitted to two days before the Gout attack. The same questions needed to be answered by the patients over a two day control period. The physicians supervising the test collected information the local temperature, barometric pressure, humidity and precipitations in the area where every subscribed patient lives.

The clime data of the hazard and control period were compared taking into consideration also possible alcohol consumption, diuretic use or high purine intake for every patient.
High temperature and high rates of humidity proved to increase the risk of recurrent Gout attacks. The hyperuricemia acute attacks doubled when the medium temperature increased from 0-53 degree Fahrenheit to 87-105 degrees. An assembling rate of reoccurrence was found to be generated by an increased of the air humidity. Atmospheric pressure and precipitations proved to have no actual influence on the Gout attacks.

After the demonstration of the impact the two weather factors have on the recurrent attacks, physicians advised their patients to ingest high amounts f water during warm and humid periods, to stimulate the elimination of uric acid through the kidneys.

The main causes of Gout have proven to be genetic, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. A strong influence seemed to have the environment factors heat and humidity. About 1 in 100 persons develop Gout; 6-7% of elder men are affected by it and the number of women suffering from Gout increases after menopause.