[Prevalence, physiopathology and processes associated with hypouricemia in a hospitalized population: analysis of 27,987 analytic determinations].

A prospective analysis of 27,987 serum samples revealed a uricemia less than 2.0 mg/dl in 172 patients (prevalence of 0.61%). One hundred and six patients were being treated with more than one drug. Amongst the 21 hypouricemic patients receiving only one drug the more frequently associated drugs were beta-lactamases, salicylates at high doses, and carbamazepine. Out of the 45 hypouricemic patients who were under no treatment, there were 12 cases of pregnancies, 6 had a neoplastic disease, 2 suffered chronic hepatopathy and one presented hereditary xanthinuria. Out of 7 non treated patients, 6 were uric acid hypersecretors and only one was hyposecretor. The results indicate that hypouricemia: a) is usually associated with an elevated renal excretion of uric acid and b) it is frequently associated with the administration of drugs although it can also be included in the context of multiple systemic disease.