title: Serum uric acid level in acute stroke patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of uric acid as a risk factor for vascular disease and acute stroke is controversial and there is little information about it. In this study, we determined serum uric acid levels in patients with acute stroke and assessed its relationship with cerebrovascular risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross sectional study, we assessed patients with acute stroke who were admitted in Firoozgar Hospital from September 2010 to March 2011. Clinical records of patients and their serum uric acid level was investigated. Finally, collected data were analyzed using SPSS software Ver.16.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty five patients with acute stroke were evaluated who 25 of these patients (45.5%) were female and 30 of them (54.5%) were male. The mean age of patients was 67±14 years. Mean serum uric acid levels in the patients studied 5.94±1.70 mg/dl, and about half of the patients (47.3%) were hyperuricemic. There was a significant negative correlation between age of patients and their serum uric acid level (p=0.04, R =-0.27). Uric acid level was significantly higher in men than women (p=0.03). Hyperuricemia was associated with increased amounts of triglycerides and Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (p=0.03, p=0.02). In patients with acute stroke, there was no significant association between serum uric acid level and diabetes mellitus, hypertension, history of ischemic heart disease, smoking, prescription rTPA, and type of stroke.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the high prevalence of hyperuricemia in patients with acute stroke, and its accompanying increase in triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels, it can be considered as a risk factor for acute stroke.
authors.affiliation: MD., MPH Assistant professor, Stroke center, Firoozgar General Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehrpour
authors.forename: Mahbubeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khuzan
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Najimi
authors.forename: Mohamad R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Motamed
authors.forename: Seyed-Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Fereshtehnejad
keywords: Acute stroke; Triglyceride; Uric acid