International position paper on the appropriate use of uricosurics with the introduction of lesinurad.

Abstract

Over the last 70years, pharmacotherapy in gout with urate-lowering drugs has consisted of four drugs only: In 1952, a mild uricosuric probenecid became available, the xanthine oxidase inhibitor Allopurinol in 1964, and the latter became the most frequently used urate-lowering drug worldwide; in the Eurozone, the uricosuric benzbromarone was welcomed in 1977. Only in 2002, the potent non-purine xanthine oxidase inhibitor febuxostat was introduced. In many countries, uricosurics such as probenecid and benzbromarone have not been available up to now, and these days, the new uricosuric lesinurad is the first uricosuric that may be introduced in these countries, which is the reason for describing the position this novel uricosuric deserves in treating gout. Recent literature will be shortly reviewed, and the current proposed position for lesinurad will be given as an aid for clinicians.