[Serum uric levels in patients with psoriasis vulgaris (author's transl)]

Hyperuicaemia is a frequent finding in psoriasis vulgaris. Enhanced purine catabolism due to the rapid turnover of psoriatric epidermis is thought to be the cause of the raised serum uric acid levels. In the present study serum acid determinations were performed in 197 patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Since no correlation was found between the extent of skin involvement and the incidence of hyperuricaemia, increased epidermopoesis does not seem to be an adequate explanation for hyperuricaemia in psoriasis. An analysis of body weight and serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in psoriatic patients points to a combination of genetic predisposition and overeating as the causes of hyperuricaemia.