Even Low Blood Lead Levels Linked to Gout Risk

New York, NY – Even relatively low levels of lead in the blood may be linked to an increased risk of gout, a painful form of arthritis. Researchers have known that heavy lead exposure is linked to the condition – a form of arthritis in which the joints periodically become swollen, red and hot. But the new findings connect gout risk to low levels of lead in the blood – well within the range currently considered acceptable for adults.