Serum uric acid levels and the clinical characteristics of depression

Abstract Objective This study was designed to investigate the correlation between serum uric acid (UA) levels and the clinical characteristics of depression. Design and methods The serum UA levels were measured in 124 patients with depression, 660 patients with different types of other mental disorders (OMD) and 42 healthy subjects. Clinical characteristics of depression and OMD were also investigated. Results Depressive patients (271.97 ± 77.50 μmol/L) had significantly lower UA levels than those with delirium, dementia, amnesia and other cognitive disorders (339.95 ± 141.74 μmol/L, P = 0.004), substances related disorders (359.61 ± 125.02 μmol/L, P = 0.022), schizophrenia (341.03 ± 106.84 μmol/L, P = 0.000), schizoaffective disorder (336.78 ± 155.49 μmol/L, P = 0.024), bipolar disorder (323.04 ± 108.70 μmol/L, P = 0.008) and the healthy control group (315.76 ± 87.50 μmol/L, P = 0.012). We also found that the UA levels of depressive patients normalised after a five week treatment with antidepressants. Conclusion Our data suggested that a lowered UA level is another characteristic of depression.