IS INCREASED URIC ACID LEVEL A RISK FACTOR FOR MORTALITY?

Volume : VII, Issue : X, October - 2018

Dr Seher Erdogan

Objective: To determine the relationship between serum uric acid level and prognosis of patients admitted to pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Methods: Patients admitted to pediatric intensive care unit between January 2017 and January 2018 were enrolled. Sex, age, body weight,

diagnosis, Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) score, mechanical ventilator (MV) need, number of days of mechanical ventilator, prognosis,

presence of sepsis, admission serum uric acid and creatinine levels were recorded.

Results: This study included a total of 116 patients. Of the patients, 53.4% were provided respiratory support with mechanical ventilator. 15.5% of

them died. There was a signicant correlation between serum uric acid level and PRISM score (p:0.000; p<0.05). There was no signicant

correlation between mean serum uric acid level and the duration of intensive care unit stay, prognosis, and the number of days on MV (p>0.05). The

mortality rate was 11.4% among patients who had a uric acid level between 2.6 and 7 mg/dL, while the mortality reached 50% among those with a

uric acid level above 7 mg/dL (p:0.016; p<0.05). Patients with sepsis had a serum uric acid level that was signicantly higher than those without

sepsis (4.6�2.8 vs 3.51�1.7; p:0.014).

Conclusion: serum uric acid level at PICU admission is not a suitable marker for mortality. However, it may play a role as an additional risk factor

among patients with sepsis and a uric acid level ≥7 mg/dL.