Original Research Article: Study of Evaluation of Serum Uric Acid Level in Systemic Lupus Erythematous Patients & Its Correlation with Pulmonary Artery Pressure

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as a multisystem autoimmune disorder has diverse phenotypic expression affecting any organ system. Kidney, heart and pulmonary system are the most frequently affected organ in systemic lupus erythematosus. Objectives: The objectives of the study is to measure serum uric acid level in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and to study correlation of serum uric acid level with pulmonary artery pressure in SLE patients. Methodology: This Hospital based case control study includes 40 patients of SLE. All patients of SLE admitted in our hospital and attending O.P.D. were included. Pulmonary artery pressure in patients was measured by echocardiogram. Blood samples was taken from each patient. Serum uric acid was measured by Kit. Duration of illness was extracted from patients’ records. The relationship of serum uric acid level with pulmonary arterial pressure and duration of the disease was evaluated. Results: In our study, maximum 67.50% patients were from 21-40 yrs age group followed by 20.00% patients in 41-60 yrs age group , 7.5% patients were from >60 yrs age group and 5.00% . Serum uric acid level was significantly higher in PAH patients (10.74±1.97 mg/dl) as compared to patients without PAH (6.42±2.02 mg/dl). Serum creatinine level was significantly higher in PAH patients (2.32±2.05 mg/dl) as compared to patients without PAH (1.30±0.74 mg/dl). 45.00% patient’s EF was more than 55% , followed by 22.50% patients with EF 46-55%, 20.00% patient’s EF was 35-45% and 12.50% patient’s EF was <35.00. The EF was lower in patients with PAH (44.91±9.32%) as compared to patients without PAH (46.65±10.32%). This difference was statistically insignificant. The association between EF and serum uric acid was found to be statistically insignificant. Conclusion: We conclude that serum uric acid is strongly associated with development of PAH in SLE patients. SLE patients with increased serum uric acid level are likely to have PAH and patients with normal serum uric acid level are likely to have normal pulmonary artery pressure. Being a low cost test and easily done everywhere, serum uric acid estimation will help to reduce clinical demand for echocardiography in SLE patients with normal uric acid levels.