1963. The mean serum urate concentration during an acute attack was 0 49 mmol/l (8-2 mg/100 ml), but there were 10 men, additional to those described here, whose levels ranged from 0-24 to 0-38 mmol/l (4-0 to 6-4 mg/100 ml) and who were taking no drugs. A further three patients, including one woman, had concentrations of 0-22, 0-24, and 0-25 mmol/l (3 7, 4 0, and 4-2 mg/100 ml) respectively but were taking phenylbutazone or probenecid.A normal serum urate concentration in acute gout may be misleading diagnostically. Polarising nilcroscopy is simple and specific, and the value of a therapeutic test with colchicine should not be forgotten.

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