High Urate Levels May Indicate Parkinson's Risk in Men
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 26 Jan 2016 |

Image: The Hitachi 911 Chemistry Analyzer (Photo courtesy of Roche Diagnostics).
Parkinson's disease is a motor system disorder that usually appears in people aged over 60 years and it results from the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. There is currently no cure, but treatments can be given that replace or mimic the role of dopamine in the brain, providing relief from the symptoms.
The main symptoms are tremor or trembling, rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and body, slowness of movement and impaired balance and coordination. Symptoms start gradually but worsen over time, making it difficult to carry out everyday tasks. A high level of urate in a man's blood may signal a lower likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease.
Scientists at Pennsylvania State University (University Park, State College, PA, USA) and their colleagues examined whether higher plasma urate concentrations are associated with a lower risk of developing Parkinson disease (PD) and whether there is a sex difference in the potential urate–PD relationship. They conducted a nested case-control study based on 90,214 participants of three ongoing US cohorts. They identified 388 new PD cases (202 men and 186 women) since blood collection, which were then matched to 1,267 controls.
Plasma urate concentrations were assessed via a colorimetric enzyme assay on the Hitachi 911 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics; Indianapolis, IN, USA). The men with the lowest levels of urate had less than 4.9 mg/dL. Those with the highest levels had 6.3 to 9.0 mg/dL. Normal levels can range from 3.5 to 7.2 mg/dL. The men who had the highest levels of urate were nearly 40% less likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those with the lowest levels. Among the men with Parkinson's disease, 45 had the highest level of urate and 58 had the lowest. Among the healthy men, 111 were in the group with the highest level of urate and 107 were in the group with the lowest level.
The authors concluded that that men, but not women, with higher urate concentrations had a lower future risk of developing PD, suggesting that urate could be protective against PD risk or could slow disease progression during the preclinical stage of disease. Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, the lead author of the study said, “These results suggest that urate could protect against Parkinson's or slow the progression of the disease in its very early stages before symptoms are seen. The findings support more studies on whether raising the level of urate in people with early Parkinson's may slow the disease down.” The study was published on January 13, 2016, in the journal Neurology.
Related Links:
Pennsylvania State University
Roche Diagnostics
The main symptoms are tremor or trembling, rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and body, slowness of movement and impaired balance and coordination. Symptoms start gradually but worsen over time, making it difficult to carry out everyday tasks. A high level of urate in a man's blood may signal a lower likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease.
Scientists at Pennsylvania State University (University Park, State College, PA, USA) and their colleagues examined whether higher plasma urate concentrations are associated with a lower risk of developing Parkinson disease (PD) and whether there is a sex difference in the potential urate–PD relationship. They conducted a nested case-control study based on 90,214 participants of three ongoing US cohorts. They identified 388 new PD cases (202 men and 186 women) since blood collection, which were then matched to 1,267 controls.
Plasma urate concentrations were assessed via a colorimetric enzyme assay on the Hitachi 911 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics; Indianapolis, IN, USA). The men with the lowest levels of urate had less than 4.9 mg/dL. Those with the highest levels had 6.3 to 9.0 mg/dL. Normal levels can range from 3.5 to 7.2 mg/dL. The men who had the highest levels of urate were nearly 40% less likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those with the lowest levels. Among the men with Parkinson's disease, 45 had the highest level of urate and 58 had the lowest. Among the healthy men, 111 were in the group with the highest level of urate and 107 were in the group with the lowest level.
The authors concluded that that men, but not women, with higher urate concentrations had a lower future risk of developing PD, suggesting that urate could be protective against PD risk or could slow disease progression during the preclinical stage of disease. Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, the lead author of the study said, “These results suggest that urate could protect against Parkinson's or slow the progression of the disease in its very early stages before symptoms are seen. The findings support more studies on whether raising the level of urate in people with early Parkinson's may slow the disease down.” The study was published on January 13, 2016, in the journal Neurology.
Related Links:
Pennsylvania State University
Roche Diagnostics
Latest Clinical Chem. News
- New Clinical Chemistry Analyzer Designed to Meet Growing Demands of Modern Labs
- New Reference Measurement Procedure Standardizes Nucleic Acid Amplification Test Results
- Pen-Like Tool Quickly and Non-Invasively Detects Opioids from Skin
- Simple Urine Test Could Detect Multiple Cancers at Early Stage
- Earwax Test Accurately Detects Parkinson’s by Identifying Odor Molecules
- First-Of-Its-Kind Quantitative Method Assesses Opioid Exposure in Newborns
- Paper-Based Devices Outperform Existing Methods in Diagnosing Asymptomatic Malaria
- Simple Skin Test Could Revolutionize Diagnosis of Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Portable Diagnostic Tool Uses Bioluminescence to Detect Viruses at POC
- AI-Powered Lung Maturity Test Identifies Newborns at Higher Risk of Respiratory Distress
- AI-Powered Blood Test Accurately Detects Ovarian Cancer
- Automated Decentralized cfDNA NGS Assay Identifies Alterations in Advanced Solid Tumors
- Mass Spectrometry Detects Bacteria Without Time-Consuming Isolation and Multiplication
- First Comprehensive Syphilis Test to Definitively Diagnose Active Infection In 10 Minutes
- Mass Spectrometry-Based Monitoring Technique to Predict and Identify Early Myeloma Relapse
- ‘Brilliantly Luminous’ Nanoscale Chemical Tool to Improve Disease Detection
Channels
Molecular Diagnostics
view channel
Newly-Cleared Technology a Game Changer for Diagnosis of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is one of the fastest-growing infectious diseases, with approximately 476,000 cases diagnosed annually in the United States. The symptoms of Lyme disease, such as fever, headache, fatigue,... Read more
Innovative Liquid Biopsy Test Uses RNA to Detect Early-Stage Cancer
Detecting and diagnosing cancer, particularly in its early stages, remains a significant challenge. Liquid biopsies offer a promising non-invasive alternative to traditional biopsies, which require removing... Read moreHematology
view channel
Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results
Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more
First Point-of-Care Heparin Monitoring Test Provides Results in Under 15 Minutes
Heparin dosing requires careful management to avoid both bleeding and clotting complications. In high-risk situations like extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), mortality rates can reach about 50%,... Read moreImmunology
view channel
World’s First Clinical Test Predicts Best Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic condition affecting 1 in 100 people in the UK today, causing the immune system to attack its joints. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is caused by wear and tear, RA can... Read more
Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients
Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more
Liquid Biopsy Approach to Transform Diagnosis, Monitoring and Treatment of Lung Cancer
Lung cancer continues to be a major contributor to cancer-related deaths globally, with its biological complexity and diverse regulatory processes making diagnosis and treatment particularly difficult.... Read more
Computational Tool Exposes Hidden Cancer DNA Changes Influencing Treatment Resistance
Structural changes in tumor DNA are among the most damaging genetic alterations in cancer, yet they often go undetected, particularly when tissue samples are degraded or of low quality. These hidden genomic... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
Viral Load Tests Can Help Predict Mpox Severity
Mpox is a viral infection that causes flu-like symptoms and a characteristic rash, which evolves significantly over time and varies between patients. The disease spreads mainly through direct contact with... Read more
Gut Microbiota Analysis Enables Early and Non-Invasive Detection of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder marked by abnormal glucose metabolism during pregnancy, typically emerging in the mid to late stages. It significantly heightens the risk of... Read morePathology
view channel
AI Tool Enhances Interpretation of Tissue Samples by Pathologists
Malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, is diagnosed by pathologists based on tissue samples. A crucial aspect of this process is estimating the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), immune... Read more
AI-Assisted Technique Tracks Cells Damaged from Injury, Aging and Disease
Senescent cells, which stop growing and reproducing due to injury, aging, or disease, play a critical role in wound repair and aging-related diseases like cancer and heart disease. These cells, however,... Read more
Novel Fluorescent Probe Shows Potential in Precision Cancer Diagnostics and Fluorescence-Guided Surgery
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a common type of liver cancer, is difficult to diagnose early and accurately due to the limitations of current diagnostic methods. Glycans, carbohydrate structures present... Read moreTechnology
view channel
Low-Cost Biosensing Technology Detects Disease Biomarkers in Minutes
Rapid at-home tests for diseases like COVID-19 have become increasingly popular for their convenience, but they come with a major drawback: they are less sensitive than the tests performed in medical settings.... Read more
AI Tool Could Help Identify Specific Gut Bacterial Targets for Treatment of Diseases
The human body hosts trillions of bacteria, particularly in the gut, which have a significant role in digestion and various other aspects of health. These gut bacteria produce a variety of metabolites... Read moreIndustry
view channel
Quanterix Completes Acquisition of Akoya Biosciences
Quanterix Corporation (Billerica, MA, USA) has completed its previously announced acquisition of Akoya Biosciences (Marlborough, MA, USA), paving the way for the creation of the first integrated solution... Read more
Lunit and Microsoft Collaborate to Advance AI-Driven Cancer Diagnosis
Lunit (Seoul, South Korea) and Microsoft (Redmond, WA, USA) have entered into a collaboration to accelerate the delivery of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered healthcare solutions. In conjunction with... Read more