Requip/Mirapex and Gout?

Sven · Post by **Sven** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:53 pm

I have had RLS for years and have found Mirapex (Requip) works pretty well for me. But recently I have been diagnosed with Gout!! I am a 53 year old guy with good health (except RLS, if that is possible). I am not overweight and don't have high blood pressure. The doc told me that Levadopa drugs can cause Gout and thought maybe the Mirapex has caused it.
Has anyone else heard of this connection? Does it make any sense.
Gout is almost as bad as RLS. I'm going nuts.

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:55 am

Oh, I can only imagine how you are feeling.

I haven't heard of it. I bet that is not fun at all. I have heard that cherries are great for gout, though. . .

I'll be looking forward to anyone else's replies about this.

ray · Post by **ray** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 1:44 pm

Hi Sven, Here's an artical I found about L-dopa and Gout.

http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/cgi/conte ... t/223/1/55

DW Bierer and AJ Quebbemann

Several reports have indicated that L-dopa may cause hyperuricemia and gout. The reports of hyperuricemia have generally been explained on the basis that L-dopa is known to produce a false hyperuricemia by interfering in the colorimetric analysis of uric acid. Our studies of the interference of L-dopa in the analysis of uric acid revealed that the false elevation of uric acid produced by therapeutic plasma concentrations of L-dopa is minor. The present studies used the Sperber in vivo chicken technique to determine whether L-dopa interferes with the renal excretion of uric acid. We found that a 440 mg/kg dose of L- dopa given by stomach tube results in a 30% decrease in the renal tubular excretory transport of [14C]uric acid. L-Dopa infused along with [14C]uric acid into the renal portal circulation also decreases the excretory transport of [14C]uric acid. In addition, i.v. L-dopa at 8.5 or 11.6 mumol/min/leg causes an increase in plasma urate of 26 or 45%, respectively. During infusion of L-[14C]dopa into the peritubular circulation, the 14C-label was excreted into the urine at a rate equivalent to 35% that of simultaneously infused p-aminohippuric acid or [3H] tetraethylammonium. The excretory transport of 14C-label was inhibited by probenecid. Because the renal tubular excretory transport of uric acid in chickens has many similarities to that of man, the results suggest that inhibition of uric acid excretory transport may be one of the effects of L-dopa, or its metabolites, in man.

ray · Post by **ray** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 1:55 pm

I don't think it's the Mirapex. I just read the side effects page on their website and then googled 'gout and Mirapex" and didn't find anything.

Hope it helps,

Ray

PS. I never really knew what gout was until I looked it up. I'm sorry you got this, it appears to be very painfull. I hope everything works out ok and you feel better.

Sven · Post by **Sven** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:47 pm

Thanks Ray,
I've seen similar studies, but I'm still unclear if Mirapex (pramipexole) IS a levadopa drug. I'm pretty sure Sinamet (which I took for a couple years, but stopped because it no longer worked) was a Levadopa, but I don't know about Mirapex. Any idea?
Sven

ray · Post by **ray** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:23 am

Hi Sven,

No, I don't believe Requip (or Mirapex) is an L-Dopa. From what I've read they are dopamine agonist's (A medication that activates dopamine receptors in a person's brain?) which is a totally different thing.

I've looked at a few studies that say l-dopa can raise uric acid levels which can lead to gout but what I can't find are any timelines for it happening.

I know you used to take an l-dopa awhile back, that's why I mention the study. I just don't know how long after you stopped taking it this could happen.

Here's a link with a ton of info on gout and another reference to gout and l-dopa.

http://www.emedicine.com/orthoped/topic124.htm

Ray

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:06 am

Correct, Mirapex is not L-dopa. It's a different class and works differently.