Uric Acid as a Marker of Severity in Preeclampsia: A Correlational Study

Abstract

Background: Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for severe preeclampsia (SP) and its maternal and fetal complications, but it is not included in the severity criteria. Aims: To determine the correlation between blood uric acid (Ua) concentration with quantitative severity criteria in preeclampsia. Study Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Regional General Hospital No. 1 of the Mexican Institute of Social Security located in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico, between November 2024 and August 2025. Methodology: A retrospective cohort of 104 pregnant patients with SP was included. The mean blood concentration of Ua, frequency of hyperuricemia (>4.5 mg/dL), frequency of quantitative severity criteria of SP and their correlation with Ua were studied (Ua vs systolic blood pressure ≥160 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥110 mmHg, aspartate aminotransferase enzyme (AST) ≥37 U/L, alanine aminotransferase enzyme (ALT) ≥37 U/L, thrombocytopenia <100,000 platelets/µL, serum creatinine >1.1 mg/dL, proteinuria ≥2 g/24 h and oliguria <0.5 ml/K/h). Descriptive statistics, Student's t test, chi-square test, Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and Odds ratio were used with the SPSS™ version 22 statistical program. Results: Mean Ua 5.33±1.02 mg/dL with hyperuricemia 83.65% (n=87). Frequency of quantitative severity criteria: oliguria 21.15%, systolic blood pressure 20.2%, AST 16.3%, thrombocytopenia 11.5%, proteinuria 9.61%, diastolic blood pressure 6.7%, ALT 6.7% and serum creatinine 4.8%. Correlations: systolic blood pressure r=.107, diastolic blood pressure r=.092, AST r=.051, ALT r=.117, thrombocytopenia r=-.279, serum creatinine r=.470, proteinuria r=.961 and oliguria r=-.145. Conclusion: Ua-creatinine correlation was moderately positive, and Ua-proteinuria was strongly positive. Other correlations were not statistically significant. Hyperuricemia can be part of the clinical examinations aimed at evaluating renal involvement in SP