Abstract
Systematic analysis of hyperuricemia in the pediatric field is quite rare. In the present study, the occurrence of hyperuricemia in pediatric patients at a single institute was investigated. First, I tried to determine the reference values for uric acid in children using inpatients selected on certain conditions. In comparison of 328 patients consisting of six different age groups ; less than 1 year (61 patients), 1~3 years (75), 4~6 years (54), 7~9 years (46), 10~12 (43), and 13~15 (49), mean values for uric acid increased significantly with age. A significant sex difference was observed only in the age group,13~15 years. Hyperuricemia was defined as the values over the mean value plus 2 standard deviations for each age group. Hyperuricemia was positive in 440 samples of 11,245 samples. Considering the overlap of patients, 264 patients out of 8,208 patients presented hyperuricemia. It was most frequent in the group with 1.3 years (108 patients), followed by over 13 years (45). Regarding gender-related differences, boys tended to show higher values in each age group. Regarding diseases, gastroenteritis was most frequent (47 patients), followed by respiratory infections (37), severe cardiac diseases (15), obesity (14), renal diseases (12), and bronchial asthma (11). Most of the diseases presenting with hyperuricemia were similar to those seen in adults. However, some diseases were specific to children. The present report contributes to elucidating the mechanisms of hyperuricemia in children.
