Observation of Serum Uric Acid Levels in Essential Hypertension

Abstract

Background & Objectives: The association of raised serum uric acid levels with various cardiovascular risk factors has often led to the debate of whether raised serum uric acid levels could be an independent risk factor in essential hypertension. Hence we carried out a study to see if there is a relationship between the serum uric acid levels and severity & duration of hypertension

Methodology: The study was carried out in VSS Medical college hospital the study period was of 16 months from December 2010 to April 2012 a total of 300 patients were studied of which 150 were cases and 150 controls. The patients were included if they satisfied the JNC VII criteria for hypertension. They were excluded if they were having any other condition known to cause raised serum uric acid levels & secondary hypertension.

Results: The study showed a rise in SUA levels in cases to highly significant p=.001 when compared to that of controls. A positive correlation was found between the severity of hypertension, the patients who were found to be having stage 2 hypertension had an increase in SUA levels which was highly significant p=.006 when compared with those with stage 1 hypertension. We also found a positive correlation between SUA levels and the duration of hypertension patients with a duration of hypertension ≥5 years had a significant increase in the SUA levels p=.001 than those patients with hypertension for a duration of <5 years.

Conclusion: With the results based on the study carried out we concluded that there can be a direct relation between hyperuricemia and hypertension. Also the study showed that the SUA levels were significantly increased in patients with Stage 2 hypertension in comparison with those with stage 1 hypertension showing that the severity of hypertension also related to the SUA levels. The study also showed that the duration of hypertension had a significant impact on the SUA levels, those with a longer duration of hypertension had significantly raised SUA levels when compared with those of a lesser duration. Serum uric acid can be used as a prognostic factor in essential hypertension.