COMMENTARY

Febuxostat vs Allopurinol: And the Winner Is...

Kevin Deane, MD

May 24, 2011

The Urate-Lowering Efficacy and Safety of Febuxostat in the Treatment of the Hyperuricemia of Gout: The CONFIRMS Trial

Becker MA, Schumacher HR, Espinoza LR, et al
Arthritis Res Ther. 2010;12:R63. Epub 2010 Apr 6

Systemic Sclerosis

Febuxostat is an orally administered inhibitor of the xanthine oxidase enzyme. It was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in early 2009 for the chronic management of hyperuricemia in patients with gout.^[1] Several trials have shown that febuxostat can lower uric acid and reduce acute gout flares over time, and that it may be effective in patients with reduced renal function.^[2,3,4] However, there have been concerns that febuxostat may lead to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, and more data are needed about the efficacy of this drug in patients with impaired renal function. The study authors evaluated the efficacy and safety of febuxostat compared with allopurinol; in addition, they evaluated the efficacy of febuxostat in patients with reduced renal function.

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Cite this: Kevin Deane. Febuxostat vs Allopurinol: And the Winner Is... - Medscape - May 24, 2011.

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