UNLOCKING THE URIC ACID MYSTERY: EXPLORING HIGH LEVELS IN SILENT STRIDES AT LAHORE’S PREMIER HEALTHCARE HUB

Abstract

Background: Hyperuricemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. If these patients are identified and treated for Hyperuricemia, we can prevent cardiovascular complications in these patients. The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of Hyperuricemia in asymptomatic patients visiting medical outpatient department (OPD).

Materials & Methods: A Descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in Medical OPD of Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore. from December 2022 to December 2023 after IRB approval. Total of 200 patients were enrolled in our study and Sampling technique was non-Probability Convenient. Data was entered and analyzed in SPSS version 25.0. Quantitative variables age and BMI expressed as mean±SD and qualitative variables diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart diseases expressed as frequency and percentages. Chi square test was applied for assessing the association of high uric acid levels with comorbidities. P-value <0.05 considered as statistically significant.

Results: In this study mean age was 37 years with standard deviation ± 2.5, raised uric acid was found in 32 (16%) patients having age of more than 50 years as patients having this age already have other co-morbidities, Regarding Gender distribution having raised uric acid, 33(66%) males had hyperuricemia as compared to females 17(34%).Patients with diabetes were 22(44%) who had hyperuricemia, Hypertensive patients with raised uric acid were 16(32%) Patients with dyslipidemia were 17(34%) with raised uric acid and they were unaware of it. There were 56(28%) patients with ischemic heart disease and out of those 17(34%) had raised uric acid levels. Our 153(76.5%) participants of the study fell in the overweight category as per Asian Standards, out of which 115(76.7%) had raised uric acid, implicating as part of metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion: Hyperuricemia is more common in high weight patients and we need to check the uric acid in patients having other comorbidities as well especially those without having any symptoms.