Serum uric acid in acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND There is evidence that high uric acid is a negative prognostic factor in patients with mild to severe heart failure. A study showed a close correlation between serum uric acid concentration and Killip classification in patients of acute myocardial infarction. MATERIAL AND METHODS We studied 100 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 50 controls. Serum uric acid level was measured on day 0, 3 & 7 of MI. RESULTS There was a statistically significant higher level of serum uric acid concentration in patients of MI on day of admission as compared to controls. Patients with history of MI in the past had higher serum uric acid levels. On all the days serum uric acid levels were higher in patients who were in higher Killip class. All the five patients who died after 3 days of hospital stay had serum uric acid level more than 7.0 gm/dL and all of them were Killip class IV. CONCLUSIONS Serum uric acid levels are higher in patients of acute myocardial infarction correlated with Killip class. Combination of Killip class and serum uric acid level after acute myocardial infarction is a good predictor of mortality after AMI.