Serum Uric Acid Concentrations and Risk of Adverse Outcomes in Patients With COVID-19

Background Although hyperuricemia frequently associates with respiratory diseases, patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) can show marked hypouricemia. Previous studies on the association of serum uric acid with risk of adverse outcomes related to COVID-19 have produced contradictory results. The precise relationship between admission serum uric acid and adverse outcomes in hospitalized patients is unknown. Methods Data of patients affected by laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and admitted to Leishenshan Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome was composite and comprised events, such as intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation, or mortality. Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between serum concentrations of uric acid and the composite outcome, as well as each of its components. To determine the association between serum uric acid and in-hospital adverse outcomes, serum uric acid was also categorized by restricted cubic spline, and the 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to estimate odds ratios (OR). Results The study cohort included 1854 patients (mean age, 58 years; 52% women). The overall mean +/- SD of serum levels of uric acid was 308 +/- 96 mu mol/L. Among them, 95 patients were admitted to ICU, 75 patients received mechanical ventilation, and 38 died. In total, 114 patients reached composite end-points (have either ICU admission, mechanical ventilation or death) during hospitalization. Compared with a reference group with estimated baseline serum uric acid of 279-422 mu mol/L, serum uric acid values >= 423 mu mol/L were associated with an increased risk of composite outcome (OR, 2.60; 95% CI, 1.07- 6.29) and mechanical ventilation (OR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.06- 8.51). Serum uric acid <= 278 mu mol/L was associated with an increased risk of the composite outcome (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.18- 3.65), ICU admission (OR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.17- 4.05]), and mechanical ventilation (OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.06- 4.28), as assessed by multivariate analysis. Conclusions This study shows that the association between admission serum uric acid and composite outcome of COVID-19 patients was U-shaped. In particular, we found that compared with baseline serum uric acid levels of 279-422 mu mol/L, values >= 423 mu mol/L were associated with an increased risk of composite outcome and mechanical ventilation, whereas levels <= 278 mu mol/L associated with increased risk of composite outcome, ICU admission and mechanical ventilation.

Automated summary

This study found a U-shaped association between admission serum uric acid and composite outcome of COVID-19 patients. Patients with serum uric acid levels >= 423 mu mol/L had an increased risk of composite outcome and mechanical ventilation, while those with levels <= 278 mu mol/L had an increased risk of composite outcome, ICU admission, and mechanical ventilation.