title: Estimation of serum uric acid in cases of hyperuricaemia and gout.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gout is crystal deposit arthritis and is an ancient disease. The biologic precursor to gout is hyperuricaemia. The prevalence of hyperuricaemia and gout has an increasing trend all over the world including the developing countries. The purpose of this study is to estimate serum uric acid level in hyperuricaemic and gout patients attending a medical college hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive 150 hyperuricaemics and 150 gout patients attending Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital from June to September 2007 were included in this study. The serum uric acid level was measured by the enzymatic (PAP- Uricase) method. The patients with acute gout were interviewed and relevant information was obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Males comprised 84% of gout cases. Hyperuricaemia was common in both sexes. The mean age for gout was 47.49 and 56.65 years in males and females respectively. The mean age for the first gout attack was 42.1 +/- 14.0 years. Family history was positive in 22% of cases. The overall mean serum uric acid level in hyperuricaemics was 7.2 +/- 0.7 mg/dL and 8.4 +/- 1.1 mg/dL in acute gout (p 0.0001). The mean serum uric acid level was significantly (p 0.0001) high among males both at the asymptomatic phase and at acute gout. Gout was more common in non-vegetarians (95%) and alcoholics (65.3%). Serum uric acid level was inversely related with the amount of daily water intake (p 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum uric acid level is significantly high among the male gouty arthritic patients. However, it is also high among asymptomatic hyperuricaemic cases of both sexes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pokharel
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jha
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Parajuli
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Pokharel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015210:Arthritis, Gouty / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006073:Gout / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014527:Uric Acid