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Volume 13
Issue 21
10.3390/healthcare13212719
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Knowledge and Treatment of Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia Versus Gout Among Physicians in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey

by
Yousef M. Alammari
1,*,†,
Abdulmohsen Albassam
2,*,†,
Mohammad Alorainy
2,
Faisal Alibrahim
2,
Abdulrahman Alshahwan
2,
Abdullah Alaskar
2,
Rayan A. Qutob
1,
Mohammad Alhajery
1,
Abdulwahed Alotay
1,
Yassir Daghistani
3,
Abdulrahman Alanazi
1 and
Ibrahim Alshehri
2
1
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 11623, Saudi Arabia
2
College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 11623, Saudi Arabia
3
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 23218, Saudi Arabia
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Healthcare 2025, 13(21), 2719; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13212719
Submission received: 9 September 2025 / Revised: 14 October 2025 / Accepted: 22 October 2025 / Published: 27 October 2025
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

Background: Gout and asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AH) are common conditions for elevated levels of uric acid in the blood. While gout is a well-known and widely recognized condition, AH may be less familiar to healthcare professionals. This study aimed to estimate and determine the knowledge and treatment of AH versus gout among physicians in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A standardized, online validated questionnaire was used to collect data from physicians in Saudi Arabia. The tool comprised two parts: a 3-item section on demographics and a 37-item section assessing knowledge (18 items) and practice (19 items) related to the management of AH and gout. Convenience sampling was employed for participant recruitment. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The questionnaire was validated by three experts in rheumatology and clinical pharmacy, with a KR-20 of 0.87. Results: Of the 744 participants, 53.9% were female, and 59.1% were aged 24–34. A total of 58.7% had attended continuing medical education (CME) on AH or gout during the last three years. The mean practice score was significantly higher among residents compared to physicians without specialty training (mean difference = −1.43632, 95%CI:−2.4575–−0.4151, p <0.001) and consultants compared to physicians without specialty training (mean difference = −3.2769, 95%CI: −4.7918–−1.7620, p <0.001). Male physicians scored higher than female physicians (1.73 ± 1.08 vs. 1.46 ± 1.09, p = 0.001). Consultants and orthopedic specialists demonstrated the highest knowledge levels (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The knowledge and practice of physicians for managing AH or gout were unsatisfactory. Younger female general practitioners were more likely to exhibit poor knowledge and practice in managing AH or gout cases. Despite advanced diagnostic tools and treatment processes, physicians have many misconceptions. Hence, continuous medical education focusing on AH or gout is vital to address these misconceptions.
Keywords: asymptomatic hyperuricemia; gout; knowledge; practice; physician asymptomatic hyperuricemia; gout; knowledge; practice; physician

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Alammari, Y.M.; Albassam, A.; Alorainy, M.; Alibrahim, F.; Alshahwan, A.; Alaskar, A.; Qutob, R.A.; Alhajery, M.; Alotay, A.; Daghistani, Y.; et al. Knowledge and Treatment of Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia Versus Gout Among Physicians in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey. Healthcare 2025, 13, 2719. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13212719

AMA Style

Alammari YM, Albassam A, Alorainy M, Alibrahim F, Alshahwan A, Alaskar A, Qutob RA, Alhajery M, Alotay A, Daghistani Y, et al. Knowledge and Treatment of Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia Versus Gout Among Physicians in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey. Healthcare. 2025; 13(21):2719. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13212719

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alammari, Yousef M., Abdulmohsen Albassam, Mohammad Alorainy, Faisal Alibrahim, Abdulrahman Alshahwan, Abdullah Alaskar, Rayan A. Qutob, Mohammad Alhajery, Abdulwahed Alotay, Yassir Daghistani, and et al. 2025. "Knowledge and Treatment of Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia Versus Gout Among Physicians in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey" Healthcare 13, no. 21: 2719. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13212719

APA Style

Alammari, Y. M., Albassam, A., Alorainy, M., Alibrahim, F., Alshahwan, A., Alaskar, A., Qutob, R. A., Alhajery, M., Alotay, A., Daghistani, Y., Alanazi, A., & Alshehri, I. (2025). Knowledge and Treatment of Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia Versus Gout Among Physicians in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey. Healthcare, 13(21), 2719. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13212719

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