A recent retrospective cohort study on patients with gout initiating urate-lowering therapy found that those prescribed colchicine for flare prophylaxis had a lower risk of cardiovascular events compared to those who did not receive prophylaxis. The study indicated an 18% relative risk reduction and emphasized the benefits of colchicine for gout flare prophylaxis. However, despite international guidelines recommending colchicine during the first 3-6 months of ULT initiation, only 16.1% of patients received gout flare prophylaxis. While the findings align with prior research on colchicine's cardiovascular benefits, the study emphasized the need for randomized controlled trials to confirm a causal relationship.

Source: The Lancet Rheumatology