Gout most commonly affects which joint?

Gout most commonly affects which joint?

• A. Knee
• B. Great toe
• C. Shoulder
• D. Wrist

Answer: (B)

Gout is an inflammatory arthritis caused by monosodium urate crystals depositing in joints when uric acid levels are high. Crystals preferentially settle in cooler, peripheral joints, where solubility is lower. The first metatarsophalangeal joint—the big toe—sits at the end of the body, is cooler, and is frequently subjected to pressure, making it the most common site for crystal deposition. When these crystals are ingested by immune cells, they trigger a strong inflammatory response that leads to the sudden, intensely painful swelling of an acute gout attack. Other joints like the knee, shoulder, and wrist can be involved, but they are less commonly the initial or most frequent site of gout.

Gout is an inflammatory arthritis caused by monosodium urate crystals depositing in joints when uric acid levels are high. Crystals preferentially settle in cooler, peripheral joints, where solubility is lower. The first metatarsophalangeal joint—the big toe—sits at the end of the body, is cooler, and is frequently subjected to pressure, making it the most common site for crystal deposition. When these crystals are ingested by immune cells, they trigger a strong inflammatory response that leads to the sudden, intensely painful swelling of an acute gout attack. Other joints like the knee, shoulder, and wrist can be involved, but they are less commonly the initial or most frequent site of gout.