THE IMPACT OF HYPERURICEMIA ON RENAL FUNCTION TESTS IN PATIENTS WITH HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCY

Abstract

Background: Patients with hematological malignancies have a high prevalence of hyperuricemia and uric acid crystals, inflammation and oxidative stress may play a role in causing renal impairment in these patients. Cancer treatment outcomes, quality of life and survival are negatively impacted by renal dysfunction.

Objective:   To determine the frequency of hyperuricemia in patients with hematological malignancy and to compare the mean renal function tests in patients with and without hyperuricemia among patients with hematological malignancy.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was carried out at the Department of Medicine, Jinnah Hospital Lahore during July 2025 and October 2025. The patients, aged 18-75 years, were diagnosed with hematological malignancies such as leukemia, lymphomas and multiple myeloma and were selected by non-probability consecutive sampling method (100 patients). At the time of presentation, serum uric acid, serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were measured. Hyperuricemia was considered as serum uric acid >7.5 mg/dl. Data were analyzed statistically with SPSS 25. Independent sample t-test was used to compare renal function parameters of hyperuricemia and non-hyperuricemia groups.

 Results: Hyperuricemia was found in 21% of the cases. Hyperuricemic patients had significantly greater mean serum creatinine levels than normouricemic patients (1.28±0.34 vs 0.89±0.21 mg/dl; p<0.001). Similarly, mean eGFR was significantly lower in patients with hyperuricemia (58.7±14.2 vs 82.4±16.8 mL/min/1.73m²; p<0.001). Among patients with Hematological malignancies, hyperuricemia was significantly associated with impaired renal function.

Conclusion: Patients with hematological malignancies are often hyperuricemic and have significant association of deranged renal function tests. Timely management of elevated serum uric acid could be beneficial for reducing renal complication and the clinical outcome of this high risk group in terms of early screening.