Hyperuricemia and pregnancy induced hypertension--reappraisal

Serum uric acid estimation was done in forty primigravidae with pregnancy induced hypertension and twenty normotensive primigravida in the third trimester of pregnancy, at delivery and six weeks postpartum. The mean serum uric acid levels in normotensive women in the antenatal period and at delivery were 4.65 +/- 0.33 and 4.88 +/- 0.23 mg% and in mild PIH were 5.42 +/- 0.55, 6.14 +/- 0.76 mg%, respectively. Level of serum uric acid in mild PIH was significantly higher than normotensive women (P). In severe PIH, the mean serum uric acid levels were 6.65 +/- 0.60, 8.24 +/- 1.09 mg% in antepartum and at delivery respectively which was significantly more than control group and mild PIH group women (P). However, no differences was observed, in the serum uric levels between these groups during the postpartum period. Serum uric acid level of 5.5 mg or more was observed to be an indicator of PIH. Levels of serum uric acid did show a high positive correlation with the severity of PIH in relation to hypertension and proteinuria. Hyper uricemia (more than 5.5 mg% is associated with increased perinatal morbidity and mortality.