Low Serum Uric Acid Predicts Poor Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients

A recent retrospective cohort study investigated the prognostic significance of low serum uric acid (UA) in hospitalized patients. While high UA levels have been widely studied, the impact of hypouricemia on outcomes such as mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) admission has remained unclear. The study included 1,679 patients categorized into normal and low UA groups using sex-specific thresholds (male: <3.4 mg/dL, female: <2.4 mg/dL).

The study's primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality, while secondary endpoints included ICU admission and discharge status. A Prognostic Uric Acid Score (PUAS) was created from the key predictors, and its accuracy was evaluated using standard receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

The study's primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality, while secondary endpoints included ICU admission and discharge status. A Prognostic Uric Acid Score (PUAS) was created from the key predictors, and its accuracy was evaluated using standard receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

These findings suggest low UA levels independently predict mortality and adverse outcomes in hospitalized patients. Routine monitoring of UA and hypouricemia could serve as a useful prognostic biomarker. However, further studies are warranted to explore clinical applications and potential UA-targeted interventions.

Reference:

Şahin Sİ et al. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025 Sep 27;14(19):6855.

https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/14/19/6855