Relationship between Serum Uric Acid Levels and Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Open Access

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive condition characterized by gradual loss of renal function, often accompanied by metabolic disturbances and increased cardiovascular risk. Among the metabolic abnormalities observed in CKD, hyperuricemia has gained attention due to its potential role in promoting inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and disease progression. Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels have been associated with increased levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). This study aimed to evaluate the association between serum uric acid levels and inflammatory markers in patients with chronic kidney disease Methods & Materials: This study was a hospital, based cross- sectional observational one among 52 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who were attending the Department of Biochemistry, Jalalabad Ragib-Rabeya Medical College and Hospital, Sylhet, Bangladesh, from January 2025 to December 2025. Patients (18 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of CKD based on KDIGO guidelines were included. Analysis of collected data was done by using SPSS version 26.0. Result: Serum uric acid levels rose progressively in line with the CKD stage, from 5.8 1.1 mg/dL in stage 2 to 8.3 1.6 mg/dL in stage 5 (p < 0.001). Inflammation markers were high throughout the group, with average values of CRP 8.6 4.2 mg/L, IL, 6 14.8 6.1 pg/mL, and TNF, 12.3 5.4 pg/mL. CRP, IL, 6, and TNF, levels were significantly higher in patients with hyperuricemia than in those with normal uric acid levels (p < 0.01). Besides, serum uric acid had moderate to strong positive associations with these markers (IL, 6 r = 0.61, CRP r = 0.58, TNF, r = 0.49). Conclusion: Serum uric acid levels not only increase progressively in line with the worsening of chronic kidney disease but also, they are highly related to, inflammatory markers such as CRP, IL, 6, and TNF, . Patients who suffer from hyperuricemia are characterized by a greater inflammatory state, and serum uric acid can be seen as strongly positively correlated with inflammatory markers, fomalting a direct linkage of hyperuricemia to systemic inflammation in CKD.