Adventist Health Glendale | Healthline Quarterly | Early Spring 2018

Newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Adventist Health Glendale sometimes sleep with an octopus! Actually, it’s true— but there’s an explanation. The tiny sea animals are crocheted by the loving hands of volun- teers, all organized by a local Tujunga resident, Abby Diamond. Mem- bers of the hospital’s Foundation Founder’s Guild also participate in the fun and crochet sea creatures for the NICU. “The soft tentacles give babies something to hold onto, instead of pulling on the wires and lines connecting them to monitors,” explains Randy Miller, RN, MSN, NICU nurse manager. “Crochet is soft and safe, and it gives babies a feeling they are holding something comfortable.” Diamond contacted Miller after reading an article about the Poole Hospital in England that told of the benefits premature babies receive from cuddling a crocheted octopus (or jellyfish) in their incubator, an idea that originated in Denmark. Each animal is sterilized before deliv- ery to the NICU, and parents are given instructions on home care after babies are discharged. Has your big toe been causing you big trouble lately? Is it swollen, red and warm to the touch, and does it hurt—a lot? If so, one possible culprit could be gout. What is it? Gout is a particular type of arthritis that often affects the big toe, but it can also settle into other parts of the foot—such as the instep and heel—as well as the ankles, knees, wrists, fingers and elbows. The disease usually affects only one joint at a time, though it can eventually affect several joints. We met with Talha Khawar, MD, rheumatologist from Adventist Health Glendale, to find out more about gout. “Gout is caused by uric acid buildup,” explains Dr. Khawar. “This waste product forms when the body breaks down substances called purines, which are found in many foods, and is a byproduct of normal body func- tions. Normally, uric acid dissolves in the blood, passes through the kidneys and then exits the body in urine. But uric acid can build up in the blood if your kidneys don’t eliminate it properly, if your body makes too much of it or if you eat too many foods high in purines.” Baby Milana and mother Rouza Sahakian (center) receive a crocheted octopus from NICU Nurse Manager Randy Miller (right) and donor Abby Diamond. You can learn more by going to the Sunland-Tujunga Octopus Project on Facebook. Facebook “f”Logo CMYK / .ai To find a rheumatologist near you, visit AdventistHealthGlendale.org and search under “Find a Doctor.” Get the facts about gout Men are at greater risk Men are at higher risk of developing gout than women. Dr. Khawar cautions that your risk may also rise if you: ●● Are overweight. ●● Have a family history of gout. ●● Have high blood pressure or have a high cholesterol level. ●● Have diabetes or kidney disease. When discussing symptoms and frequency, Dr. Khawar says, “Gout usually occurs in episodes, called gout at- tacks, which happen when uric acid that isn’t eliminated from the body forms sharp crystals in the fluid that lu- bricates the lining of joints. “Attacks may last a few days to longer than a week. They come on suddenly, often late at night or early in the morning. Sometimes months or years pass between bouts of gout. Over time, however, attacks can last lon- ger and occur more frequently,” says Dr. Khawar. Gout attacks can be triggered by a number of things, including eating foods high in purines, drinking sweet so- das or alcohol, having an infection, taking certain diuret- ics (water pills), being dehydrated, or being under stress. There’s help for it After many years, gout can become chronic and may damage the joints and sometimes the kidneys. Gout, if not treated properly, also increases the risk of getting heart attacks and strokes. However, proper treatment can usually prevent this. Dr. Khawar says that “gout can be treated with medi- cines and lifestyle changes, which can ease and prevent attacks. Treatment can also lower your risk of kidney damage from uric acid. If you think you might have gout, see your doctor. To help with diagnosis, he or she may want to extract fluid from your swollen joint to look for uric acid crystals.” You can learn more about gout at the Web site of the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis.org . Additional sources: American College of Rheumatology; National Institutes of Health TO L E A R N MO R E A B O U T A D V E N T I S T H E A LT H G L E N D A L E O R TO F I N D A D O C TO R , V I S I T A D V E N T I S T H E A LT H G L E N D A L E . O R G 7 Crocheted animals comfort NICU babies COMMUNITY HEALTH Talha Khawar, MD