Uric acid in the acute phase of ST elevation myocardial infarction submitted to primary PCI: Its prognostic role and relation with inflammatory markers. A single center experience

Background and methods: Scarce data are available on the prognostic role of uric acid (UA ) in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We aimed at assessing the relation between uric acid, measured on Intensive Cardiac Care Unit (ICCU) admission, and mortality at short term follow-up in 466 consecutive STEMI patients submitted to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), as well as its relation with inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, CRP-fibrinogen, erythrocyte sedimentation rate ESR). Results: Higher UA were detectable in the 21.5%.. In-hospital mortality was higher in patients with elevated UA (p <0.01 O.R. (95% C.I.): 3.9 (1.5-10.2)). At backward stepwise regression analysis UA resulted an independent predictor for in-hospital mortality (OR 1.82, 95%CI 1.15-2.86; p = 0.01). Conclusion: Our data strongly suggest that in the acute phase of STEMI patients submitted to PCI, uric acid holds a prognostic role for in-hospital mortality.