Methods of treating, inhibiting, or ameliorating gout, including chronic acute (refractory) gout or pseudogout in a human subject in need thereof, comprising administering to a subject in need a therapeutic amount of an interleukin 1 (IL-1) antagonist, wherein gout or pseudogout are inhibited or ameliorated. Preferably, the IL-1 antagonist is the protein of SEQ ID NO:10 (rilonacept).