Women typically develop urate gout after menopause unless an enzymatic defect is present.
South Sea Islanders and Filipinos have a higher prevalence of urate gout. Most patients will have insufficient renal clearance of uric acid and a minority of patients with urate gout will have a partial enzymatic defect and over produce uric acid. Alcohol affects renal handling of uric acid and increases production Other drugs can also cause hyperuricemia such as thiazides, furosemide, and cyclosporine via interference with renal elimination of uric acid. Patients with renal insufficiency also run higher uric acid levels. Surgery or medical illness may provoke an attack of urate gout.