6-Year-Old Girl Diagnosed with Gout Due to Sweet Drinks; Extremely Rare Case

Khaosod•Society•16h ago

Reader Briefing

Extreme rarity: A 6-year-old girl diagnosed with gout due to a rare genetic condition amplified by a diet of sugary drinks.

•A 6-year-old girl was diagnosed with gout, a condition rarely seen in children, after experiencing swelling and pain in her feet.
•Doctors discovered the girl had a rare genetic predisposition causing her body to struggle with uric acid excretion, exacerbated by her regular consumption of sweet drinks.
•The diagnosis involved extensive testing, including genetic analysis, which revealed multiple gene mutations affecting uric acid transport.
•Treatment includes dietary changes, medication to lower uric acid, and alkalinizing agents, leading to improvement and absence of symptoms after a year of follow-up.

•On May 30, 2026 (date of Facebook post), the 'Tensia' Facebook page shared information about a rare pediatric gout case.
•A 6-year-old girl developed small lumps on her feet around age 5 and experienced worsening symptoms over time.
•The girl had a history of being overweight and regularly consumed sweet drinks, while her father had a history of gout.
•Blood tests revealed a uric acid level of approximately 6.25 mg/dL in the 6-year-old, which is abnormally high for her age.
•Gout was diagnosed after examining nodules containing urate crystals and genetic testing identified multiple gene mutations (ABCG2, SLC2A9, SLC22A12, MTHFR) affecting uric acid transport.
•The high fructose content in sweet drinks was identified as a significant trigger, rapidly increasing uric acid levels by depleting ATP.
•Treatment involved dietary control (low purine, reduced fructose, avoiding sweet drinks), medication (febuxostat to lower uric acid), and sodium bicarbonate to aid excretion.
•Following treatment, the girl's uric acid levels dropped to approximately 4.48 mg/dL, and she has remained symptom-free for one year.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Doctor

"We had to go down to the gene level to know what it was."

ต้องลงไปถึงระดับยีน จึงรู้ว่าเป็นอะไร

Doctor

"A 6-year-old girl is suffering from gout."

เด็กหญิง 6 ขวบป่วยเป็นเกาต์

Doctor

""Gout tophi""

“ก้อนเกาต์”

Doctor

"This child's body has multiple "uric acid transport systems" failing simultaneously in one person."

ร่างกายเด็กคนนี้ เหมือน “ระบบขนส่งยูริก” หลายจุดเริ่มพังพร้อมกันในคนเดียวเลย

Tensia

Facebook page that shared information about the rare pediatric gout case.

Gene related to uric acid excretion, mutations in which can lead to impaired uric acid removal.

Gene encoding the GLUT-9 transporter, which regulates uric acid reabsorption in the kidneys.

SLC22A12ℹ️

Gene involved in uric acid transport.

MTHFR variantℹ️

Genetic variant associated with elevated homocysteine and potentially high uric acid levels.