Association of High Sensitivity C-reactive Protein with Hyperuricemia in Taiwanese Patients with Gout

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the relationship between high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and hyperuricemia in gout patients in a Taiwan population. Methods: Forty gout patients and 25 normal healthy control subjects were recruited. The serum hsCRP, uric acid, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels of each participant were measured. The disease duration, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score and presence or absence of tophi were recorded. The correlations between hsCRP levels and clinical features or laboratory profiles in gout patients were analyzed. Results: The findings demonstrated statistical significance in hsCRP levels in gout patients compared with normal healthy control individuals (p＜0.001). HsCRP correlated with serum ESR (r=0.549, p＜0.001), uric acid (r=0.381, p=0.020) and the VAS pain score (r=0.385, p=0.014), but not with disease duration and presence of tophi. Conclusion: HsCRP was associated with hyperuricemia, high ESR levels and high VAS pain scores in gout patients in Taiwan, suggesting increased hsCRP may be an indicator of uncontrolled hyperuricemia or gouty arthritis.