Prevalence of hyperuricemia in patients of lower back pain at Dow University of Health Science Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan.

Abstract

Objectives: In our study we evaluate the hyperuricemia levels in patients presenting to us with the chief complaint of chronic lower back pain and determine the associations with age, gender and radiographic findings. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Dow University of Health Science Civil Hospital Karachi. Period: From April 2017 to September 2017. Material & Methods: Patients with lower back pain of a duration longer than three months and between the ages of 18 and 70 years were included. A complete history and physical examination was done for all the patients including relevant laboratory, radiographic and anthropometric measurements. The neurosurgeon also assessed the patient’s lower back pain and associated findings in the lower limbs. The patients also underwent radiographic evaluations via X-rays and Magnetic resonance imaging. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS statistical software version 20. We considered a p value of < 0.05 to be statistically significant. Results: The final study population consisted of n= 110 patients of which n= 54 were males and n= 56 were females. Of the total patient population of the study n= 31 (28.18%) had increased serum uric acid and had nearly equal incidence in males and females (27.77% and 28.57% respectively). The highest incidence of hyperuricemia was found patients between 26 and 60 years of age. In our study n= 22 patients did not have any comorbid condition while joint pain was found in n= 24 patients (p-value of <0.05) of these patients they suffered from pain in their knees and tarsal joints. Lumbar disc prolapse was found in n= 21 patients (p-value of <0.05), lumbar disc degeneration was found in n= 16 patients (p-value of <0.0579). Furthermore, disc space narrowing was found in n= 27 patients having a p-value of <0.05. Conclusion: According to the results of our study hyperuricemia is found in one of every four with low back pain. There is a variable association between comorbid conditions and hyperuricemia. While an equal association is found between gender and hyperuricemia. There is also a strong association of hyperuricemia with joint space narrowing and lumbar disc narrowing of the lumbar vertebrae and it augments degenerative spondylolisthesis.