Serum uric acid is inversely related to acute ischemic stroke morbidity in hemodialysis patients.

AIM

Elevated serum uric acid (sUA) is usually associated with a high occurrence of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the general population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of sUA in AIS among hemodialysis (HD) patients.

METHODS

We followed up the occurrence of AIS in 226 HD patients for 18 months from January 2009 to June 2010. The parameters included demographic characteristics, duration of HD, sUA, serum albumin, and other parameters. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the function of SUC levels in the occurrence of AIS.

RESULTS

A total of 43 patients suffered from AIS. By univariate logistic regression analysis an inverse association was observed in sUA level with the risk of AIS (p = 0.005), but the significance of this inverse association was attenuated while adjusted for age, gender and pulse pressure (PP) (p = 0.029), and even weakened while adjusted for age, gender, PP and diabetes nephropathy (DN) (p = 0.065), and finally abolished after adjustment for age, gender, PP, DN, hsCRP and pre-albumin.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates an inverse association between sUC and the occurrence of AIS in HD patients. Demographic characteristics and malnutrition-microinflammation syndrome seem to play a significant role in this association.