Low serum uric acid concentration in Parkinson's disease in southern Spain.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Uric acid (UA) is thought to have an antioxidant effect on the central nervous system and may also prevent cerebral damage induced by oxidative stress. Our study aimed to investigate whether patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) had lower serum UA concentrations than controls and whether UA concentration was related to clinical parameters of the disease.

METHODS

We included 161 patients with PD and 178 controls from southern Spain. UA concentration was compared between these two groups. Clinical parameters including severity of the disease were related to serum UA.

RESULTS

Patients with PD showed statistically significant lower serum UA concentrations than controls. Serum UA concentration was lower in patients with PD in severe stages (4 and 5) than in those in moderate stage (2) according to the modified Hoehn and Yahr scale. Other clinical parameters were not related to serum UA concentration, except for levodopa equivalent daily dose that was associated with lower serum UA concentration in men.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study produced consistent findings that UA might have a protective effect against PD and could influence its clinical progression.