Hyperuricemia management in patients from Argentina. A questionnaire survey

Abstract

Introduction: For many years, uric acid was considered to be an inert product of purine metabolism; however, it has recently been associated with a number of chronic diseases. Nowadays, there are no conclusive findings available regarding a clear action plan to treat serum uric acid or which specific therapeutic goals it would have. Methods: Given this controversy, a survey was conducted in order to evaluate which decisions are taken regarding this situation within the Argentinian medical community. The question was in which cases serum uric acid was routinely assessed and the result was 53.2% no matter the pathology; 11% of physicians did not assess it routinely. Regarding its treatment, 62.5% of them reported to have treated it as part of kidney disease; 61.7 % as part of diabetes; 60.4% as part of metabolic syndrome; 50.3% as part of cardiovascular disease; 91.3 % as part of gout; 74% as part of renal stones, and 36.1% as part of joint pain. Results: The data collected by means of the survey show a lack of evidence for establishing the patient selection criteria when evaluating levels of serum uric acid and its treatment. Conclusions: Therefore, it is concluded that it is necessary to conduct prospective and randomized studies of conditions with a high incidence of elevated uricemia in order to develop guidelines for specialists according to results; this decision should not be based on experts’ opinion alone.

Keywords

• ácido úrico
• hiperuricemia
• diabetes mellitus
• enfermedad renal crónica
• enfermedad vascular
• gota
• cuestionarios