engleski

Hyperuricemia revisited in Split, Croatia

Purpose: The current upper reference interval (RI) limits for serum uric acid in Croatia seemingly do not reflect the actual situation, are too low, and may instigate overdiagnosis and overtreatment with potential global implications. Methods: The study was conducted prospectively (during 2014) in 13 family medicine practices in Split, Croatia. The examinees’ sera were processed using standard uricase technology. The sample consisted of 4, 834 laboratory results ; 2, 469 pertained to apparently healthy and 2, 365 to other patients. The data were tabulated, stratified according to age and gender, and statistically analyzed. Results: The observed uric acid levels were consistently above the upper, official RI limits for Croatia (337 µmol/l for women and 403 µmol/l for men) ; over 15% of the results were definitely hyperuricemic, being higher among men and increasing in older age groups, particularly in women. Conclusions: The actual RIs for uricemia are indeed too low for the investigated south Croatian population and should be increased by some 50 µmol/l or more in most age/gender strata. Even the proposed, upgraded RIs may be of assistance in clinical judgment only, and should never be used as the exclusive criterion for clinical decisions.

uric acid, reference values, hyperuricemia

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