New EULAR 2026 data show continued treat-to-target ULT beats a discontinuation strategy for maintaining gout remission (79.2% vs. 62.9% flare-free), though many who stopped still stayed flare-free. A companion study links gout and rheumatoid arthritis to distinct, adverse body fat patterns tied to higher diabetes and cardiovascular risk.

This update includes new pandemic era evidence, recombinant zoster vaccine data, and new perspectives on vaccination in patients taking novel immunosuppressants. Five overarching principles and 10 vaccine recommendations follow.

EULAR – The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology – held its 2026 annual Congress in London, where gout was high on the agenda. Current guidelines recommend lifelong urate-lowering therapy (ULT) in a treat-to-target (T2T) strategy to maintain remission, although there is some scope for discussing tapering or discontinuation if remission is achieved.