Uric acid as a biomarker in acute myocardial infarction

Abstract

Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) is a global threat to health, particularly for developing countries. Every year about 17 million of the world population die of cardiovascular disease. The activity of the enzyme xanthine oxidase and the oxidative stress level is reflected by the levels of serum uric acid.  Uric acid, an independent marker in populations with AMI has been shown to reflect the short and long term adverse cardiac outcomes. Elevated uric acid levels are associated with reduced glomerular filtration rate, hypertension, arterial stiffness, cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. There exists a five to six-fold rise in uric acid concentration in atherosclerotic patients. The mortality index in patients with cardiovascular disease can be predicted by high uric acid levels. The aim of our study was to correlate the increased uric acid levels with the severity and prognosis in myocardial infarction patients. Our study included 55 patients with AMI, including both ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), in whom serum uric acid was measured. The results were analyzed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) software. A statistically significant (p <0.001) increase in the serum uric acid levels were noted in the patients diagnosed with Myocardial Infarction (MI). The increase in uric acid levels helps to predict mortality in acute MI patients.