title: Uric acid increases the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elevated uric acid (UA) level is reported to be related to the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) which is associated with high incidence of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and sudden cardiac death. However, little is known about the association between serum UA levels and the occurrence of VT. Thus, we examined the relationship between serum UA levels and the appearance of VT in patients with LVH.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study subjects consisted of 167 patients (110 males, mean age 67.4 ± 12.7 years) with LVH detected by echocardiography. These patients were divided into two groups based on whether VT was presented (defined by more than 5 beats, n = 27) or not (n = 140) by 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDd), the E/A ratio and deceleration time of transmitral flow velocity were assessed by echocardiography in each group. In addition, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), sodium, potassium, hemoglobin, total bilirubin and UA were compared in each group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Echocardiographic findings did not show the difference between the two groups. However, BUN and UA levels in the VT group were significantly higher than those in the Non-VT group (p < 0.01). eGFR was significantly lower in the VT group than that in the Non-VT group (p < 0.01). A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the UA level as an independent predictive factor for the occurrence of VT (odds ratio 1.61, 95% confidence interval 1.1-2.2, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that serum UA level is a useful marker for predicting ventricular arrhythmias in patients with LVH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Hematology, Fukushima Medical University.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamioka
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamiyama
authors.forename: Shu-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saitoh
authors.forename: Yasuchika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeishi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014527:Uric Acid