Correlation of serum uric acid and serum creatinine in hypothyroidism

Abstract

Background: Hypothyroidism is a progressive disorder that presents with diverse degrees of thyroid failure and metabolic consequences. Purine metabolism can be affected by disturbance in thyroid hormones, which leads to alteration in the uric acid levels, leading to hyperuricemia and subsequently causing gout. Also, hemodynamic changes occur in hypothyroidism that leads to reduction in renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate, which also causes increase in the levels of serum uric acid and serum creatinine. Aims and Objective: To determine whether thyroid dysfunction, subclinical and overt, has deleterious effects on renal function. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that comprised 108 individuals (56 cases and 52 controls; 52 men and 56 women) aged between 20 and 60 years. Case group comprised suspected cases of hypothyroidism. Serum TSH, T4, T3, uric acid, and creatinine were estimated after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Result: Uric acid and creatinine levels were significantly elevated in case group as compared to control group (7.09 ± 0.45 and 1.52± 0.16 mg/dL versus 4.08 ± 0.25 and 0.62 ± 0.05 mg/dL, respectively; p < 0.001). There was insignificant correlation between serum uric acid and creatinine levels with hypothyroidism (r = 0.185, p = 0.172 and r = 0.082, p = 0.550). Also, there was no significant correlation between serum uric acid and creatinine levels with the age in hypothyroidism (r = 0.143; p = 0.292 and r = -20.154; p = 0.257, respectively). Conclusion: Hypothyroidism causes significant increase in serum uric acid and creatinine levels. Therefore, we would emphasize the importance of the routine evaluation of serum uric acid and creatinine levels in patients with hypothyroidism.