Uric Acid Lowering Has Renal Benefits

Patients with hyperuricemia who achieve a serum uric acid level below 6 mg/dL using urate-lowering therapies are less likely to experience renal function decline, according to a study published online ahead of print in the Journal of Rheumatology.

In a study of 16,186 patients with hyperuricemia, Gerald D. Levy, MD, of Kaiser Permanente in Downey, Calif., and colleagues found that those treated with urate-lowering therapies and achieved a serum uric acid lower below 6 mg/dL had a significant 37% decrease in the risk of renal outcomes (a 30% or greater reduction in glomerular filtration rate [GFR] from baseline or progression to dialysis or a GFR of 15 mL/min/1.73 m² or less.

From the May 01, 2014 Issue of Renal and Urology News