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Association Between Hyperuricemia and Dehydration in Children With Acute Gastroenteritis
1Department of Pediatrics, Chungnam National University Hospital, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
Insights
Hyperuricemia, or high uric acid levels, is linked to moderate-to-severe dehydration in children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE). This finding suggests uric acid may help assess dehydration severity in pediatric AGE patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Biochemistry
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a common childhood illness.
- Accurate assessment of dehydration is crucial for managing AGE.
- Hyperuricemia can result from volume depletion and altered urate excretion in AGE.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between hyperuricemia and dehydration severity in children with AGE.
- To determine if uric acid levels can serve as a marker for dehydration in pediatric AGE.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 95 patients (aged 7-18) diagnosed with AGE.
- Dehydration status assessed using clinical dehydration scale and weight loss.
- Hyperuricemia defined using age- and sex-based reference values for uric acid.
Main Results:
- 42.1% of patients had moderate-to-severe dehydration.
- Hyperuricemia was present in 46.3% of patients, significantly higher in moderate-to-severe dehydration cases (95.0% vs. 10.9%).
- Multivariate analysis identified hyperuricemia (OR: 5.13) as a significant factor for moderate-to-severe dehydration.
Conclusions:
- Uric acid levels show a correlation with dehydration severity in children with AGE.
- Hyperuricemia may be a useful indicator for assessing dehydration in pediatric AGE.
Objectives:
Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is one of the most common diseases in children, and detecting dehydration status is important for managing it. Volume depletion and altered urate excretion through the gastrointestinal tract can cause hyperuricemia. This study aimed to evaluate the role of hyperuricemia in assessing the severity of dehydration in children.
Methods:
This retrospective study included patients aged 7 to 18 years who were diagnosed with AGE. We used both the clinical dehydration scale and measured amount of weight loss at the time of emergency room visiting to evaluate the dehydration status. Age-based and sex-based reference values of uric acid were used to define hyperuricemia.
Results:
Of the 95 patients with AGE, 40 (42.1%) showed moderate-to-severe dehydration. Hyperuricemia was observed in 44 (46.3%) patients and was more common (95.0 vs. 10.9%, P <0.001) in patients with moderate-to-severe dehydration than in those with mild dehydration. In multivariate analysis, hyperuricemia (OR: 5.13; 95% CI: 2.453-10.526) and bicarbonate levels <15 mmol/L (OR: 3.25; 95% CI: 0.225-7.259) were significant factors associated with moderate-to-severe dehydration.
Conclusions:
Uric acid levels were correlated with dehydration in children with AGE.
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Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when the body loses fluids (particularly water).
Causes:
The major causes of dehydration include excessive sweating, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and diuresis.
Signs and Symptoms:
Symptoms primarily include intense...