Abstract
To elucidate the influence of thyroid function on uric acid metabolism, twenty-eight patients with primary hypothyroidism (PH) were studied. Hyperuricemia was found in 2 of 6 males and in 3 of 22 females. The serum uric acid (SUA) levels were significantly higher, but uric acid clearance (CUA),24-hr urinary urate excretion and creatinine clearance (Ccr) were significantly lower in PH than in normal subjects. The levels of SuA negatively correlated with CuA curve and the ratio of CuA to Ccr. The levels of SUA and CUA were not correlated with serum thyroxine levels, triiodothyronine levels, thyroid stimulating hormone levels and creatine phosphokinase levels. SUA and serum creatinine significantly decreased and Ccr and CUA significantly increased, when thyroid function became normal by thyroid hormone replacement therapy. These results suggest that hyperuricemia in PH is caused by the decrease of renal uric acid excretion due to reduction of the glomerular flow rate.
