Cross-sectional study on the correlation of serum uric acid with disease severity in Korean patients with psoriasis.

BACKGROUND Hyperuricaemia is a common finding in patients with psoriasis. However, previous studies have reported inconsistent results about the association between serum uric acid concentration (SUAC) and psoriasis severity. Recent studies have also reported that SUAC is associated with metabolic dysregulation. AIM To assess any association between SUAC and clinical features of psoriasis, and to investigate the characteristics of patients with psoriasis with hyperuricaemia compared with similar patients with normouricaemia. METHODS Cross-sectional data from 198 Korean patients with psoriasis who visited our clinic were analysed. Association of SUAC with clinical features of psoriasis, body mass index (BMI) and various laboratory values was assessed in both genders separately. RESULTS The average uric acid concentration of patients with psoriasis was not significantly different from that of the healthy population, for both genders (P > 0.05). There was a positive correlation between SUAC and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and BMI in patients with psoriasis (P < 0.05). There was no association with age of disease onset, family history of psoriasis, or other laboratory values (P > 0.05), in either gender. Of the other factors of disease severity, the extent of body surface involvement was correlated with uric acid concentration (P < 0.05) although there was no significant relationship with activity of individual lesions (P > 0.05). Mean PASI and extent of psoriasis were increased in hyperuricaemic compared with normouricaemic patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS SUAC in patients with psoriasis is positively associated with PASI, extent of skin involvement and BMI for both genders independently.