Efficacy and Safety of Colchicine for the Prevention of Gout Flares During the Initiation of Allopurinol

Inclusion Criteria: Inclusion criteria include, but are not limited to the following: 1. Men and postmenopausal women between the ages of 18 and 70 2. Meets the ARA criteria for classification of acute gout 3. Tophi present and/or a history of gout attacks in 2 or 3 joints 4. Self-reported history of at least 2 gout flares in the prior 12 months 5. Serum uric acid greater than or equal to 7.5 mg/dL at the first visit Exclusion Criteria: Exclusion criteria include, but are not limited to the following: 1. Patients with an acute gout flare within 2 weeks prior to the first visit 2. Patients with chronic, active gout with at least 1 continuously inflamed joint for at least 4 weeks 3. Patients with more than three joints affected by gout 4. History of intolerance or allergy to colchicine or allopurinol 5. Use of allopurinol, benzbromarone, febuxostat, probenecid, or sulfinpyrazone less than 3 months prior to entering the study 6. Use of colchicine less than 14 days prior to entering the study