Serum uric acid correlates with extracellular superoxide dismutase activity in patients with chronic heart failure.
Increased serum uric acid has been identified as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, because of its antioxidant capacity, uric acid may play a beneficial role in endothelial function. This paradoxical relationship between uric acid and endothelial function in chronic heart failure patients remains poorly understood. Thirty-eight chronic heart failure patients (New York Heart Association functional class II-III, mean age 58+/-10 years and mean left ventricular ejection fraction 25+/-8%) and twelve age-and-sex-matched healthy controls were studied. Chronic heart failure patients showed higher uric acid levels (7.3+/-2.3 mg/dL vs. 6.1+/-0.2 mg/dL, p<0.05) and lower extracellular superoxide dismutase activity (136+/-36 U ml(-1) min(-1) vs. 203+/-61 U ml(-1) min(-1), p<0.01) and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (4.0+/-1.6% v. 9.1+/-3.0%, p<0.01) when compared with control subjects. In chronic heart failure patients, correlations between both uric acid levels and extracellular superoxide dismutase activity (r=0.45; p<0.01), and uric acid and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (r=0.35; p=0.03) were detected. These correlations were not observed in healthy individuals, suggesting a positive effect of uric acid on endothelial function partially mediated by modulation of extracellular superoxide dismutase activity in chronic heart failure.
Alcaino
Hernan
H
Centro FONDAP Estudios Moleculares de la Célula, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Greig
Douglas
D
Chiong
Mario
M
Verdejo
Hugo
H
Miranda
Rodrigo
R
Concepcion
Roberto
R
Vukasovic
José Luis
JL
Diaz-Araya
Guillermo
G
Mellado
Rosemarie
R
Garcia
Lorena
L
Salas
Daniela
D
Gonzalez
Leticia
L
Godoy
Ivan
I
Castro
Pablo
P
Lavandero
Sergio
S
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
D014527:Uric Acid; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase