ABSTRACT

Background: Hyperuricemia patients are increasing in medical outpatient practice with arthralgia as a common symptom the probable cause being the modified food and life style resulting into arthritis, renal stones and hypertension. The basic pathology is the change in Uric acid physiological and biochemical processes at purine metabolism levels and joint space level and plasma level following altered production and excretion.

Aim: To assess the serum uric acid levels in patients visiting the consultant clinics and to compare these levels among various groups so that the frequency and percentage may be obtained for normal and abnormal levels and thus the hyperuricemia and gout may be ruled out in our study subjects.

Study design: Observational research study

Place and duration of study: Orthopedic Consultant Clinic and Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro from 1st November 2018 to 31st December 2020.

Methodology: Six hundred and forty nine patients were evaluated for serum uric acid after being selected under inclusion (all age groups, males and females) and exclusion criteria (known cases of gout, patients on anti-gout treatment).

Results: Three hundred and seventy eight (58.24%) were males whereas 271(41.76%) were females. Muslim patients were 637 (98.15%) and non-Muslims were 12(1.85%). The mean uric acid concentration was 5.35±2.8 mg/dl (range of 12.17mg/dl). The mean uric in females was 4.58±2.1 mg/dl whereas it was 6.13+2.7 mg/dl in males. Hyperuricemia was observed in 89 (13.71%) patients while 560 (86.29%) participants had their serum uric acid in normal range. There was no statistically significant difference between male and female and Muslim and non-Muslim participants with p-value of 0.89 and 0.67 respectively.

Conclusion: Hyperuricemia as we found was prevalent in 13.71% with non-significant difference on the basis of gender and religion.

Keywords: Hyperuricemia, Gout, Arthralgia