Serum uric acid levels in psoriatic arthritis

Serum uric acid levels were determined in patients with psoriatic arthritis on and off medication, with rheumatoid arthritis on no medication likely to alter serum values, and in patients with uncomplicated psoriasis. Values in males were higher than those in females. A larger prevalence of values above the normal range were seen in males with psoriatic arthritis on uncontrolled medication (13-5%) and in males with rheumatoid arthritis (12%) than in the other groups. The means for both these groups were around the midpoints of the normal range. These findings suggest that hyperuricaemia is not a common characteristic of psoriatic arthritis.