Abstract.
Several studies indicate that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have low serum levels of the endogenous antioxidant uric acid (UA), although it has not been established whether UA is primarily deficient or secondarily reduced due to its peroxynitrite scavenging activity. We measured serum urate levels in 124 MS patients and 124 age- and sex-matched controls with other neurological diseases. In addition, we compared UA levels when MS patients were stratified according to disease activity (by means of clinical examination and MRI), duration, disability and course. MS patients had significantly lower serum urate levels than controls (p= 0.001). However, UA levels did not significantly correlate with disease activity, duration, disability or course. Our study favors the view that reduced UA in MS is a primary, constitutive loss of protection against oxidative agents, which deserves further pathogenetic elucidation aimed at future therapeutic strategies.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 16 January 2002 / Accepted in revised form: 8 July 2002
This work was partially presented at the 4th EFNS Congress in Lisbon, Portugal, 7–11 September 1999 and has been published in abstract form in the European Journal of Neurology (Eur J Neurol, 1999, pp. 50–51).
Correspondence to S. Sotgiu
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sotgiu, S., Pugliatti, M., Sanna, A. et al. Serum uric acid and multiple sclerosis. Neurol Sci 23, 183–188 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s100720200059
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s100720200059