title: Serum uric acid and inflammation in patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura: preliminary results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the uric acid (UA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with newly diagnosed ITP and 40 healthy individuals were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided into two groups; group 1 (n = 40) consisted of patients with ITP, and group 2 (n = 40) consisted of healthy subjects. UA and CRP levels were measured in the blood samples from them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistical differences in gender, age and body mass index between two groups (p > 0.05 for all). Compared to group 2, group 1 had significantly higher UA levels (p = 0.002), whereas CRP levels were not significantly different (p > 0.05). In ITP patients, serum UA and CRP levels significantly correlated with low platelet count (r = -0.362, p = 0.022; r = -0.383, p = 0.015, respectively); and UA levels significantly correlated with CRP levels (r = 0.436, p = 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed that UA levels increased in patients with ITP and negatively correlated with platelet counts. UA levels might be a mediator of inflammation via enhanced production of inflammatory cytokines; they might also be a potential mediator of low platelet count, and could play a pathophysiological role in the development of ITP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Dicle University, Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey. dr.sinandal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Dal
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karakus
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Ekmen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ulas
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ayyildiz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000379:methods; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D014527:Uric Acid; D002097:C-Reactive Protein