Table 3 Intervention assessment on pharmacists’ knowledge of gout

Where is your primary area of practice?

Community

25 (89%)

23 (92%)

0.74*

Hospital

3 (11%)

2 (8%)

Urate-lowering therapy (ULT) is targeted to serum urate level

True

19 (68%)

24 (96%)

0.006

False

5 (18%)

1 (4%)

Don’t Know

4 (14%)

0 (0%)

First-line therapy for gout involves a combination of a xanthine oxidase inhibitor (e.g., allopurinol) combined with a prophylactic agent (e.g., colchicine)

True

9 (32%)

16 (64%)

0.011

False

17 (61%)

9 (36%)

Don’t Know

2 (7%)

0 (0%)

Colchicine at a dose of 0.5 mg twice daily should be given in combination with urate lowering therapy (ULT) for at least 6 months after initiation of ULT, as a prophylaxis for gout flares

True

9 (32%)

21 (84%)

0.001

False

17 (61%)

3 (12%)

Don’t Know

2 (7%)

1 (4%)

It is common for gout to flare when..

Starting ULT

1 (4%)

7 (28%)

0.053

Stopping ULT

4 (14%)

1(4%)

Increasing ULT

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

All of the Above

12 (43%)

17 (68%)

None of the above

1 (4%)

0 (0%)

Patients should stop ULT during a gout attack

True

7 (25%)

1 (4%)

0.10

False

20 (71%)

24 (96%)

Don’t Know

1 (4%)

0 (0%)

Patients are advised to take colchicine continuously for six months or longer after initiation of ULT

True

10 (36%)

21 (84%)

0.001

False

17 (61%)

4 (16%)

Don’t Know

1 (4%)

0 (0%)

Patients should dose-reduce rather than stop colchicine if they experience side-effects (e.g., diarrhoea)

True

16 (57%)

18 (72%)

0.24

False

11 (39%)

6 (24%)

Don’t Know

1 (4%)

1 (4%)

Cost of medication is a factor in patient non-adherence

Agree

9 (32%)

6 (24%)

0.36

Neutral

6 (21%)

6 (24%)

Disagree

13 (46%)

13 (52%)

Which information sources for colchicine do you find helpful?

BNF

Yes

20 (71%)

18 (72%)

1.0*

No

8 (29%)

7 (28%)

SPC

Yes

15 (54%)

14 (56%)

0.59*

No

13 (46%)

11 (44%)

Guidelines such as EULAR or ACR

Yes

5 (18%)

12 (48%)

0.037*

No

23 (82%)

13 (52%)