Gout affects about 275 out of every 100,000 people, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Disease.
More men develop gout than women.
The first episode usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 50 in men and after menopause in women. Gout is a form of rheumatic disease caused by uric acid deposits in the joints. The most commonly affected joint is the big toe. Uric acid is a waste product in your blood that is removed by the kidneys and eliminated in urine. The body's overproduction of uric acid or the kidney's inability to eliminate it efficiently can cause an excessive build-up, known as hyperuricemia.