Mr Soh, a 40-year-old accountant on allopurinol 200 mg OM for the past eight months, reports two recent gout attacks in the past year. He has no other known past medical history. When you probe, he is adherent to allopurinol except for missing it perhaps once or twice a month. His BMI 25 kg/m², BP 144/94 mm Hg. His last uric acid was one month ago, which was 405 mmol/L. He is having a gout attack now. He tells you that his gout attacks are usually aborted with colchicine TDS for two days. Whilst on colchicine, he does not experience diarrhoea except for one episode of loose stools, after which he stops colchicine. Which is the most appropriate next step?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Gout mid-attack 405 uric acid on 200 mg allopurinol says it's not enough. Keep it rolling, add colchicine to quash the flare, then recheck labs post-calm to titrate up if >360. Stopping allopurinol spikes urate; HCTZ worsens gout; Losartan's fine but sidesteps; upping now risks confusion. Clinicians stick this path, steering chronic control smart.
Nokea