Hyperuricemia, gout, and renal function after liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Hyperuricemia is a recognized complication of renal and cardiac transplantation, but the development of hyperuricemia and gout following liver transplantation have received less attention. We have retrospectively assessed the prevalence of hyperuricemia in 134 consecutive liver transplant recipients.


RESULTS
Forty-seven percent of the liver transplant recipients studied had hyperuricemia. Serum creatinine was higher in hyperuricemic than in nonhyperuricemic patients. Peak uric acid correlated significantly with corresponding serum creatinine (rs=0.694). Only 6% developed gout. All the patients with gout and 10 hyperuricemic patients with renal impairment but without gout were treated with allopurinol. Over a median period of 3 months, mean serum creatinine fell from 177 micromol/l to 160 micromol/l (P=0.01), without change in type or dose of immuno-suppression.


CONCLUSIONS
There is an important association between liver transplantation and hyperuricemia. Treatment with allopurinol results in a significant reduction in serum creatinine in patients with gout and in those with hyperuricemia and renal impairment.
Neal
D A
DA
Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke's NHS Trust, United Kingdom.
Tom
B D
BD
Gimson
A E
AE
Gibbs
P
P
Alexander
G J
GJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006073:Gout / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
D014527:Uric Acid; D000493:Allopurinol; D003404:Creatinine