LAUSR

The significance of asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AH) continues to be debated. At the population level, asymptomatic hyperuricemia is associated with multiple comorbidities, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.1To investigate the impact of asymptomatic hyperuricemia on renal functional and structural parameters in comparison with symptomatic gout.The subjects included in the study were divided into two groups - 46 patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia and 18 diagnosed with gout according to ACR/EULAR 2015 criteria.2 For renal function assessment urine analysis, albuminuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation were used. Diagnostic ultrasound as well as renal biopsy were performed to evaluate structural and histological kidney changes. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0 software (SPSS Inc, Chicago, USA).There were no significant differences between the two groups on serum uric acid levels, albuminuria, and eGFR. However, erythrocyturia (p=0.047) and nephrolithiasis (p<0.001) prevailed significantly in patients with gout, 66.7% and 61.1% respectively. We did not find any histological differences between the two groups regarding the number of affected glomeruli, tubular atrophy and percentage of interstitial fibrosis based on light microscopy scans.Our results indicate that patients with AH need renal screening since both AH and gout show similar kidney changes. Further research is needed to elucidate the role of early treatment with xanthine oxidase inhibitor for asymptomatic hyperuricemia as prevention of complications such as erythrocyturia and nephrolithiasis.[1]Yip K, Cohen RE, Pillinger MH. Asymptomatic hyperuricemia: is it really asymptomatic? CurrOpin Rheumatology 2020; 32(1):71-79 doi: 10.1097/BOR.0000000000000679.[2]Neogi T, Jansen TL, Dalbeth N et al. 2015 Gout classification criteria: an American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative. Arthritis Rheumatogy 2015;67(10):2557-68. doi: 10.1002/art.39254.None declared.