title: Altered uric acid levels and disease states.
abstract: Altered serum uric acid concentrations, both above and below normal levels, have been linked to a number of disease states. An abnormally high uric acid level has been correlated with gout, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and renal disease, whereas a reduced uric acid concentration has been linked to multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and optic neuritis. Historically, uric acid has been considered a marker of these disease states. Recent studies, however, have provided evidence that uric acid may actually play a role in the development or progression of such diseases. As a result, the manipulation of uric acid concentrations is now either included in, or being investigated for, the treatment of a variety of disease states.
authors: Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8082, USA.
authors: Melinda K
authors: MK
authors: Kutzing
authors: Bonnie L
authors: BL
authors: Firestein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D006073:Gout / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000150:complications; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid; D014527:Uric Acid