Uric Acid Abnormalities and Its Correlation with Splenectomy in Adult Transfusion Dependent Thalassemia Subjects (TDT)

Background: In thalassemia patients erythrocyte turnover rate increases due to chronic hemolysis and ineffective erythropoiesis leading to increase in uric acid production. Hyperuricosuria is one of the marker of proximal tubular dysfunction. Splenectomy can increase the risk of hyperuricemia by increasing erythrocyte turnover rate in Transfusion Dependent Thalassemia (TDT). Deferasirox enhances uric acid excretion from renal tubules leading to low serum uric acid levels. Methods: An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2018-March 2020 which included 60 adult TDT patients (≥18 years) attending Adult Thalassemia Day Care Centre at tertiary care hospital. Serum uric acid (mg/dl), 24 hour urinary uric acid (mg/dl), serum ferritin (ng/ml) were done. Results: Hyperuricemia was present in 20%, hypouricemia in 3.33%. Hyperuricosuria was present in 80%. Mean SUA levels were higher in males than females which was statistically significant (5.77±1.66 vs 4.64±1.44, p=0.007). There was statistically significant positive correlation between serum uric acid and serum creatinine(p = 0.0036) and age (p=0.0129). Hyperuricemia was more in subjects with intact spleen but was not statistically significant(p=0.104). Hyperuricemia had negative association with deferasirox therapy [1 (3.03%) vs 11 (40.74%), p=0.0004] compared with normouricemia subjects. Conclusion: Uric acid abnormalities were seen in 23.3% of patients. Hyperuricemia was present in one fourth of the patients and significant risk factors were increasing age, male gender, rising serum creatinine. Deferasirox therapy was negatively associated with hyperuricemia. Tubular dysfunction is relatively common in TDT as more than three fourth patients had hyperuricosuria. Regular monitoring of serum uric acid and urinary uric acid is recommended.