title: Increased uric acid levels in bipolar disorder subjects during different phases of illness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent evidence indicates the possible involvement of adenosine and the purinergic system in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of this study is to compare serum uric acid (UA) levels in a large group of BD patients (in mania, depression and euthymia) vs. a control group of patients with different psychiatric disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  150 BD (SCID-I; DSM-IV) patients were compared to 150 age- and gender-matched subjects with MDD, OCD, or Schizophrenia. Mean serum UA values were compared with the ANOVA, with Bonferroni's post-hoc tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean serum UA levels (5.06 ± 1.45 vs. 4.17 ± 1.05 mg/dL) and rates of hyperuricaemia (30.7% vs. 6.7%) were significantly higher in the bipolar than in the control group. No differences were detected between bipolars in different phases of illness, with all three groups (manic, depressive and euthymic bipolars) showing significantly higher UA levels as compared to controls. No correlations were found between UA levels and YMRS or HAM-D scores. Mean UA levels were also higher in bipolars never exposed to mood stabilizers vs. controls (5.08 ± 1.43 vs. 4.17 ± 1.05 mg/dL), with no differences compared to other bipolars.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suffers from the lack of a healthy comparison group; moreover, longitudinal data are missing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study provides further evidence of a purinergic dysfunction associated with BD, in all phases of the illness. It is possible that increased UA levels are a trait marker of higher vulnerability to bipolar disorder, and are even more increased during mania (mostly in the first manic episode of drug-naïve patients).
authors.affiliation: Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, Anxiety and Mood Disorders Unit, University of Turin, Italy. Electronic address: umberto.albert@unito.it.
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.affiliation: Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, Anxiety and Mood Disorders Unit, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Cori
authors.affiliation: Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, Anxiety and Mood Disorders Unit, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aguglia
authors.affiliation: Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, Anxiety and Mood Disorders Unit, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barbaro
authors.affiliation: Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, Anxiety and Mood Disorders Unit, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bogetto
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, "San Luigi-Gonzaga" Hospital, University of Turin, Orbassano (TO), Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D003527:Cyclothymic Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014527:Uric Acid
keywords: Bipolar disorder; Mania; Uric acid