Effect of hyperuricemia upon endothelial function in patients at increased cardiovascular risk.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of increased serum uric acid (UA) levels and their therapeutic reduction with allopurinol on endothelium-dependent dilation in subjects with a high cardiovascular (CV) risk but who were free from clinical CV disease. Patients with hyperuricemia had impaired flow-mediated dilation (FMD) compared with matched controls with normal UA levels and elevated CV risk. Three-month therapy with allopurinol improved FMD in hyperuricemic subjects, showing an intrinsic negative effect of elevated UA levels on the arterial wall; conversely, FMD remained unchanged in controls, thus suggesting that the reduction of UA to less than a certain value does not affect endothelial function.
Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy. mercuro@pacs.unica.it <mercuro@pacs.unica.it>
Giuseppe
G
Mercuro
Cristiana
C
Vitale
Elena
E
Cerquetani
Sandra
S
Zoncu
Martino
M
Deidda
Massimo
M
Fini
Giuseppe M C
GM
Rosano
D000368:Aged; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D014527:Uric Acid; D000493:Allopurinol; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase