Uric acid and preeclampsia

Increased uric acid level is a key clinical feature of preeclampsia; higher levels correlate with significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The cause of hyperuricemia and its specific role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, however, remain unclear. Although uric acid has been shown to roughly parallel the severity of the maternal syndrome, it has not been useful in predicting the development of preeclampsia. Nevertheless, there have been recent data supporting a pathogenic role potentially in the hypertension and endothelial cell dysfunction of preeclampsia. This article reviews our current understanding of hyperuricemia in the setting of preeclampsia, and highlights the hypothesis that hyperuricemia may contribute to vascular damage in preeclampsia.