Uric acid and preeclampsia.
Increased uric acid level is a key clinical feature of preeclampsia; higher levels correlate with significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The cause of hyperuricemia and its specific role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, however, remain unclear. Although uric acid has been shown to roughly parallel the severity of the maternal syndrome, it has not been useful in predicting the development of preeclampsia. Nevertheless, there have been recent data supporting a pathogenic role potentially in the hypertension and endothelial cell dysfunction of preeclampsia. This article reviews our current understanding of hyperuricemia in the setting of preeclampsia, and highlights the hypothesis that hyperuricemia may contribute to vascular damage in preeclampsia.
Lam
Chun
C
Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Lim
Kee-Hak
KH
Kang
Duk-Hee
DH
Karumanchi
S Ananth
SA
D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology
D014527:Uric Acid