SERUM URIC-ACID LEVELS IN CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASES

Objective: Comparison of the serum uric acid levels of healthy people (n = 71) and patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (n = 62). Sub jects and methods: The patients included had either experienced acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (n = 31), atherosclerosis (AT) (n = 23) or ischaemia (n = 8). The mean values (x +/- SD) of serum uric acid leve ls of the control group, the patients with CVD as a whole, and patient s with AMI, AT and ischaemia were 4.15 +/- 0.45 mg%, 5.6 +/- 2.06 mg%, 5.96 +/- 2.60 mg%, 5.38 +/- 1.22 mg% and 4.94 +/- 1.40 mg%, respectiv ely. A statistically higher level of serum uric acid was found in the controls compared to the CVD patients (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The high er serum uric acid levels found in CVD patients suggests that any prot ective antioxidant effect which uric acid has is overwhelmed by other negative effects on pathogenesis.