全通翻譯/翻譯社

Getting a Leg up on Gout

LABELED “the unwalkable disease” by Greek physician Hippocrates,gout is one of the earliest documented afflictions.However, this painful arthritic2 condition is still not fully understood.

The underlying cause is high levels of uric acid. In about 12 percent of cases, this is due to diet. Seafood, red meat and alcohol, which are all high in purines, are particularly associated with the condition. Geneticsalso play a role. Although perfectly fit individuals can develop the disease, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and a lack of exercise are otherpotential contributors.

Gout attacks cause uric acid to harden into sharp needle-like crystals, which deposit themselves in the cooler parts of the body — most commonly the joints of the foot. This usually causes swelling and intense pain which can last anywhere from a couple of days to more than a week. Some people with high levels of uric acid filter it through theirkidneys, while others, who might actually have lower levels, don’t, leading to gout. The exact reason for this remains unclear.


遠離痛風

痛風是文獻中最早記載的病痛之一，希臘醫師希波克拉底 稱為「使人無法行走的疾病」。不過，我們至今對這種痛苦的 關節病癥尚未全盤了解。

痛風潛藏的原因是尿酸過高。約 12% 的情況與飲食有 關。海鮮、紅肉和酒精等高普林食物跟此病關係尤其密切。遺 傳也是原因之一。雖然身形完美的人也可能罹患痛風，肥胖、 久坐的生活型態以及缺乏運動也是其他潛在促成因素。

痛風發作會使尿酸硬化成如尖針般的結晶，沉積在身體溫 度較低的地方，通常是足關節。這往往造成連續數日或超過一 週的腫脹及劇痛。有些高尿酸的人可以透過腎臟將尿酸排出， 有些人就算指數不那麼高，卻因無法排出尿酸而導致痛風。確 切原因至今仍然不明。

資料來源：biz 互動英語電子報