The Yogyakarta branch of the Indonesian Rheumatology Association held an online seminar entitled “Discovering Gout and Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases and Its Treatment” last Saturday (5/12). This seminar was held through Zoom, in association with PT. Novell Pharm. Labs.
Professor of FKKMK UGM, Prof. Dr. dr. Nyoman Kertia, Sp.PD-KR., was present as the speaker of the seminar. He explained all about gout and autoimmune rheumatic diseases that the public needs to know.
Prof. Nyoman said that gout occurs due to several factors, such as genetics or other disease conditions. There can be external causes as well, namely from dietary intake patterns.
“This disease attacks joints and is likely to affect someone who often consumes high-purine foods, such as offal, brains, nuts, cabbage, water spinach, emping, durian, and pineapple,” he explained.
For autoimmune rheumatic diseases, ethnicity, genetics, and gender (women are more vulnerable) are the internal factors that cause these. External factors related to the environment (sunlight, chemicals, and viral or bacterial infections) also take part in the cause.
Both of them attack the joints of the body. Gout tends to only affect the part of the joints, generally in the toes, whereas autoimmune rheumatic diseases attack the joints more thoroughly in the body.
On the treatment, Nyoman revealed that the cure for both diseases had been found. However, for autoimmune rheumatic diseases, the healing tends to be longer and a bit difficult, especially for types of lupus derivatives. “Rheumatism caused by other diseases is easier to treat. For example, cancer, it will heal by itself once the cancer is treated,” he explained.
Finally, Nyoman gave some advice on how to avoid the two diseases. For gout, try to stay away from or reduce the consumption of purine-rich foods mentioned earlier. He underlined that the fatter a person is, the higher the risk of gout attacking the body.
For autoimmune rheumatic diseases, it is necessary to prevent any infection, keep the stress and exhaustion at a safe level, and make sure the overall rest is sufficient. Regarding the concern of certain foods causing autoimmunity, there has yet been no research or finding that verifies so.
Author: Hakam
Photo: Kontan.co.id
Translator: Salma