Women taking more fructose-rich beverages such as sugar-sweetened sodas and orange juice are at higher risk of getting affected with gout, a form of arthritis.

The findings of the study appeared in the November 24 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association and were published online also. They were presented at the American College of Rheumatology annual scientific meeting in Atlanta.

The study was carried out by Hyon K. Choi, M. D., Dr. P. H., of the Boston University School of Medicine, and colleagues. The researchers analyzed the data on 78,906 women, who were participants of the Nurses' Health Study, a U. S. prospective cohort study conducted from 1984-2006. The information regarding the consumption of fructose containing beverages was acquired through the questionnaires.

It was found that during the course of the study, 778 cases of gout was discovered, which were associated with the high intake of the fructose-rich drinks. Those having 1 serving a day had a 74% of developing gout, while those who had 2 or more servings per day possessed 2.4 times the risk. A 41% higher risk of gout was found among women who used to drink one glass of orange juice a day, while those having 2 or more glasses had 2.4 times more the risk in comparison to those who drank less than a glass of the orange juice a day.

Doctors need to be well-informed of the contribution of fructose-rich beverages in developing risk of gout in women.