title: Uric acid: a potential biomarker of multiple sclerosis and of its disability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Uric acid (UA) is a strong natural scavenger of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, with evidence of possible use in the treatment of animal models of multiple sclerosis (MS). Consequently, serum UA has gained much attention as a possible biomarker of MS. We aim to investigate differences in serum UA levels between MS subjects and controls and evaluate possible relationships of UA with MS clinical features.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive MS subjects and healthy controls and measured their serum UA levels. We excluded subjects presenting concomitant conditions affecting UA levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MS subjects (n=362) and controls (n=181) were recruited by propensity score matching (PSM). Statistical analyses were corrected for age, gender, and renal function. MS subjects presented significantly lower serum UA levels than controls (analysis of variance, p=0.014, adjusted r2=0.3036). Linear regression analysis showed a relationship between UA levels and disease duration (p<0.001, adjusted r2=0.3158, coefficient -0.00039), time from diagnosis (p<0.001, adjusted r2=0.3100, coefficient -0.0012), and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) (p<0.001, adjusted r2=0.3230, coefficient -0.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support the importance of serum UA as a biomarker of MS disability and progression. Further studies with longitudinal design should be specifically designed to evaluate the importance of UA in the different stages of MS and in relation to distinct therapeutic strategies.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moccia
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lanzillo
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palladino
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carotenuto
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massarelli
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vacca
authors.forename: Veria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vacchiano
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nardone
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Triassi
authors.forename: Vincenzo Brescia
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Morra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014527:Uric Acid