Hyperuricemia in scrub typhus patients associated with severe disease: Study

A group of researchers conducted a study to examine the association of hyperuricemia with the severity of scrub typhus.

The researchers studied clinical features, laboratory profile, in-hospital course and outcome of 92 patients of scrub typhus and association of hyperuricemia with the severity of the disease.

The Results of the study are: Of the total 92 patients in the study group, 66 (71.7%) were females and 26(28.3%) were males. Fever (100%), cough (37%), headache (33%), vomiting (31%), altered sensorium (23%), diarrhoea (18%), abdominal pain (16%), myalgia (14%), and seizures (3%) were common clinical features. Eschar was present in 23%. Of a total of 92 patients, 34 (37%) patients had hyperuricemia (HU) and 58 patients had normal serum uric acid levels. The patients of scrub typhus with HU had a significantly higher presentation with altered sensorium (35.3%). In the HU group, mean TLC, mean serum urea and serum creatinine were higher and mean serum albumin and mean HDL cholesterol was lower than patients of scrub typhus without hyperuricemia. These differences between the two groups were statistically significant. Neurological dysfunction, severe sepsis, serum creatinine >3.5mg/dL and involvement of at least a single organ was significantly higher in the HU group. Total 4 patients (4.3%) died and all had HU.

Thus, the researchers concluded that hyperuricemia in patients with scrub typhus was associated with severe scrub typhus. The serum uric acid levels should be done in the early course of all patients suffering from scrub typhus. The patients showing hyperuricemia should be monitored closely for early recognition of complications and management aggressively

Reference:

Is Hyperuricemia a Marker of Severity of Disease in Scrub Typhus? by Sanyam K Mahajan et al. published in the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India?

https://www.japi.org/x2a4a474/is-hyperuricemia-a-marker-of-severity-of-disease-in-scrub-typhus