Urate, which is a salt formed from uric acid, is naturally produced in the body. It is known that too much urate can result in problems like gout, however, it does have powerful antioxidant properties which could protect neurons in the brain against damage.

The first study was conducted by Dr, Honglei Chen from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Dr. Chen and colleagues utilized data from a population-based group of people who were followed for 20 years. This included nearly 16,000 people between 45 and 64 years of age. Of this group, 95 potential cases of Parkinson’s disease were identified.

The researchers determined that the participants that had the highest levels of urate had a 60% lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease when compared to those with the lowest urate levels.

The results of this study were published in the Journal of Epidemiology on May 1, 2009.

The second study was led by Dr. Michael Schwarzschild and Alberto Ascherio of Massachusetts General Hospital.

The researchers used data from Deprenyl and Tocopherol Antioxidative Therapy of Parkinsonism (DATATOP) trial, which was begun 20 years ago by Dr. Ira Shoulson at the University of Rochester Medical Center. This included blood samples, cerbospinal fluid and other information covering an 8 year period. This included data from 800 people with Parkinson’s disease.

Drs. Schwarzschild and Ascherio found that there was a slower progression of the disease in those patients who had the highest levels of urate as opposed to those with the lowest levels. They suggest investigating increasing urate concentration in the as a potential strategy to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

This study was published online, October 12, 2009, in the Archives of Neurology.

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Normally, the kidneys remove uric acid from the blood and eliminate it in urine. But the kidneys in those with gout do not keep up with the production of uric acid.

It has been believed that diets high in sugar, alcohol and protein lead to increased risk of gout. In fact, gout was known as the “Disease of Kings” due to its link to rich foods and alcohol.

This view may change as a result of a recent study of 12,000 people which revealed a genetic link to gout.

Scientists at the Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit and the University of Edinburgh, along with researchers in Croatia, have found a gene variation that makes it harder for the body to remove uric acid from the blood.

That gene is responsible for coding a protein known as SLC2A9 which is responsible for transporting uric acid across the membranes of the kidney. Variations in the SLC2A9 gene cause some people to have higher levels of uric acid in the blood.

The researchers identified genetic variations in the SLC2A9 gene in different populations in Orkney, Tayside and Croatia. Further analysis has eliminated links between the genetic variations in SLC2A9 and increased risk of heart disease, obesity and elevated blood pressure.

Additional research in Germany demonstrated that the gene is associated with the capacity to remove uric acid from the body through urine.

The results of this study is published in the journal Nature Genetics.

Professor Alan Wright of the Human Genetics Unit, and one of the lead authors, says: “The discovery of this important new function for the SLC2A9 protein will aid the development of drugs which could lower blood uric acid levels and prevent or treat gout.”

Another lead author, Harry Campbell, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology and Public Health and the University of Edinburgh says: “This discovery may allow better diagnostic tools for gout to be developed.”

Originally posted 2008-03-31 19:06:43. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Eswar Krishnan, MD, assistant professor of immunology and rheumatology at Stanford University School of Medicine, has conducted a new study looking into just what that relationship is.

Uric acid naturally occurs in the body as a byproduct of many different foods. High levels are best known as a cause of gout.

“Our study shows that high levels of uric acid significantly increase your risk of developing heart failure later in life,” said Dr. Krishnan. “The novelty is that the test for measuring this is very cheap and easily available.”

In fact, a simple $2-blood test may allow doctors to determine whether a patient is at risk of developing heart failure sometime in their future.

Dr. Krishnan analyzed data obtained from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute participants of the Framingham Offspring cohort study. That study began in 1971 and the participants were followed for cardiovascular events for 25 years.

Dr. Krishnan was looking for the relationship between high uric acid levels (levels above 6 mg per one-tenth liter) and subsequent heart failure.

There were 4,989 participants in the Framingham Offspring study, and of those, 4,912 were eligible for Dr. Krishnan’s study. There were 196 cases of heart failure recorded.

After adjusting for a long list of variables including smoking, weight, alcohol use, diabetes, kidney problems and use of anti-hypertensive medications, Dr. Krishnan found the occurrence of heart failure was significantly higher among those with high uric acid levels.

The use of a simple blood test that is currently available to physicians to determine a patient’s chances of developing heart failure could be an effective screening tool, Dr. Krishnan said. It could help doctors target younger patients who should aggressively reduce other treatable risk factors for heart failure, such as hypertension or obesity.

On the other hand, he noted that it’s not known whether medications that reduce uric acid levels could help reduce future heart failure cases. Future studies could explore this, Krishnan said.

The study appears online in August in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure.

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Alternatively, studies have shown that high serum uric acid levels appear to lower the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

To determine if people with high serum uric acid levels and gout have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s, researchers from the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada in Vancouver performed a cohort study utilizing data from the British Columbia Linked Health Database and PharmaCare data that provided prescription drug data for people over 65.

The study included data on 11,258 gout patients and 56,199 controls. The study covered the years 1991 through 2004. Of the total study population, 72% were being treated with at least 1 prescription drug during the study period.

During the average 8 year follow-up period, there were 1,182 new cases of Parkinson’s. Among those patients with a history of gout, there was a 30% decrease in the risk of developing Parkinson’s. This was independent of age, sex, prior medical conditions or use of NSAIDs or diuretics.

Researchers have theorized that uric acid exerts antioxidant effects on neurons and can protect against oxidative stress, a prominent contributor to neuron degeneration in Parkinson’s.

As new therapies are developed for treatment of gout by lowering the serum uric acid levels, the researchers cautioned that lowering uric acid levels too much for too long may have harmful neurodegenerative consequences.

Originally posted 2008-12-01 12:00:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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