Association of Serum Uric Acid with the Degree of Severity and Prognostic Outcomes in Patients with Acute Exacerbation of COPD

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Serum uric acid levels rise in response to systemic infections and hypoxic states. Given this, an association between elevated uric acid and COPD has been established, leading to the hypothesis that it may serve as a prognostic predictor for outcomes in Acute Exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD). Objective: To determine the association of serum uric acid with the degree of severity and prognostic outcome in patients with AECOPD. Methods: This one-year observational analytic study was conducted at the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital (NIDCH) from July 2019 to June 2020. After screening, 96 AECOPD patients were enrolled based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. Following informed consent, all participants underwent a physical examination, relevant investigations, and a severity assessment using the GOLD criteria. Serum uric acid levels were measured. Ethical and health standards were strictly maintained, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: The mean ages of Groups A and B were comparable (54.42±8.14 vs. 55.94±8.9 years; p>0.05), as were other socio-demographic profiles. Uric acid was significantly higher in Group B (8.42±1.02 vs. 5.7±0.77 mg/dl). Levels increased with GOLD stage severity (P < 0.001). Hyperuricemia was significantly associated with longer hospital stays, more ICU referrals, and a 10.42% mortality rate in AECOPD patients (p<0.05 for all). Conclusion: Elevated serum uric acid is a significant biomarker for predicting both disease severity and short-term outcomes in patients experiencing an Acute Exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD).