Decreased uric acid levels in the acute phase of Plasmodium vivax malaria

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Luciano Teixeira Gomes, Ananda Karla Bellei, Denise Inácio de Andrade, Priscila Zanini Gotardo, Andreia Ferreira Nery, Cor Jesus Fernandes Fontes
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2019
• Subjects: Malaria; Uric acid; Acute phase; Convalescent phase; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0412-2017; https://doaj.org/article/b011f75cc3b346d3afa980ac84f015cc

Abstract INTRODUCTION Uric acid is one of the compounds associated with the inflammatory process in malaria. It acts as an indicator of cellular damage by activating the immune response and inflammatory process. METHODS: We measured serum concentrations of uric acid in 60 symptomatic patients before and after treatment for malarial infections caused by Plasmodium vivax. RESULTS: Lower serum concentrations of uric acid were found during the acute phase of P. vivax malaria compared to those in its convalescent phase (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients in the acute phase of malaria had lower uric acid levels than those in its convalescent phase.