BACKGROUND: Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis in men above age 40 and its prevalence is rapidly rising. However, the burden of this disease on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), productivity and healthcare resource utilization from a patient’s perspective has not been well published.  OBJECTIVES: To explore the self-reported gout burden on HRQOL of gout patients (N=1468), their resource utilization, and general health compared to an age/gender matched gout-free group controls (N=1468).  METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2010 US National Health and Wellness Survey, an annual internet-based survey of nationally representative adults. Respondents reported their health conditions, HRQOL using SF-12, work and activity impairment (past week), and resource utilization (past six months). These patients were then compared to an age and gender matched gout-free cohort using 2-sided t-test or Chi Square test, p<0.05 indicating statistical significance. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported gout in this survey was 1.9%. 78% of these patients were male with a mean age of 60 years, and BMI of 32.7. 88% were physician diagnosed and 69% were treated with gout-specific medication. There was no difference in alcohol use between 2 cohorts. The gout patients however, had significantly higher comorbidity rate for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and CHF, >3x rate of Myocardial Infarction, and 4x rate of moderate/severe renal disease (p<0.05 for all). They had lower SF-12 domain scores, physical and mental summary scores than gout-free controls (p<0.05). Fewer gout patients were employed full time, and larger number were on long-term disability (p<0.05). They had twice the amount of work and social impairment, double the number of ER visits, hospitalizations, and mean visits to various healthcare providers (p<0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Gout patients have significantly lower HRQOL, larger burden of work and activity impairment, and greater resource utilization than gout-free controls.