Level of Serum Uric Acid in Patients with Cirrhosis of Liver.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the serum uric acid levels among the patients of liver cirrhosis. Study Design: Cross Sectional, Descriptive study. Setting: Department of Medicine, Indus Medical College, Tando Muhammad Khan. Period: 6 months (23 April 2019 to 23 October 2019). Material & Methods: Patients of liver cirrhosis attending the medical OPD or admitted in the Medicine ward, meeting selection criteria included in this study. Any diseases other than liver disease, disturbing uric acid levels were excluded from the study. Other exclusion criteria were type 2 and 1 Diabetes mellitus, drugs altering serum uric acid levels, gout, pregnancy and chronic kidney disease. Results: In this study, the causes of liver cirrhosis revealed were hepatitis B 5 (5.15%), hepatitis C 44(45.36%), both hepatitis B and C 4(4.12%), NAFLD 34 (34.05%) and alcohol 10(10.31%) respectively. Mean of the serum uric acid (mg/dl) compared in liver cirrhosis due to different etiologies Mean ±SD of uric acid levels due to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, both hepatitis B and C, NAFLD and alcohol were 2.66±1.4, 2.22±0.3, 2.34±1.0,
7.70±0.9 and 6.69±2.0 respectively; theses all compared by one way ANOVA, (p value <0.01) with df (degree of freedom) 4. Serum uric acid levels are raised among the NAFLD patients in this study that is warning factor for cardiovascular disease. In this research hypouricemia has been observed among the patients of liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, both hepatitis B and C, NAFLD and alcohol as 5.15%, 45.36%, 4.12 %, 2.06% and 8.25% respectively while hyperuricemia has been observed among the cirrhotic patients due to NAFLD. Conclusion: Serum uric acid levels are raised among the liver cirrhosis patients with NAFLD while decreased
among cirrhotic patients with viral hepatitis. Further the area is open for further research to determine the underlying mechanisms.