The assessment of renal function in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension - the role of hyperuricemia as a risk factor for chronic kidney disease - preliminary study.

UNLABELLED: For the last few years, the role of uric acid in the pathogenesis of the hypertension and chronic kidney disease has drawn attention due to the increasing prevalence of the aforementioned states. Uric acid (UA), formed as a result of purine metabolism, is subject in the renal proximal tubule to filtration, reabsorption and secretion. The mechanisms of deleterious effect of UA on the kidney involve endothelial damage and the increment of hydrostatic pressure in the glomerulus which in turn lead to hypertrophy and glomerulosclerosis. Moreover, abnormally elevated levels of uric acid results in the activation of renin-angiotensinaldosterone system and thus it may be associated with disturbances of water and electrolyte balance and the appearance of hypertension.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of hyperuricemia in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension and its effect on renal function.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

This is a retrospective study including 315 hypertensive patients (157 women - 49.8% and 158 men - 50.2%, aged 39.3 ± 14.0 years) hospitalized in the Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Family Medicine, WAM University Hospital of Lodz (study group) and 181 individuals without hypertension (103 women - 56.9% and 78 men - 43.1%, aged 42.4 ± 14.0) (control group).

RESULTS

Hyperuricemia was observed in 6.7% of patients with newly diagnosed hypertension. A positive correlation between serum creatinine and uric acid (Spearman coefficient 0.426, p<0.0001) and negative correlation between uric acid and eGFR (Spearman coefficient -0.116, p =0.068) were demonstrated in this study.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with newly diagnosed hypertension have higher levels of uric acid in comparison to control group. Elevated levels of uric acid can influence the development of hypertension and aggravate hypertension-associated renal damage.