OBJECTIVETo observe blood uric acid levels and Goldstein grading, as well as their correlation in Wilson's disease (WD) patients with different Chinese medical syndrome types.

METHODSTotally 906 WD patients in line with inclusive criteria were assigned to 6 groups, i.e., the heart spirit confused by phlegm group (HSCP, 26 cases), the phlegm-fire disturbing heart group (PFDH, 90 cases), the retention of damp-heat group (RDH, 113 cases), deficiency of qi and blood group (DQB, 168 cases), the deficiency of Gan-yin and Shen-yin group (DGYSY, 327 cases), the deficiency of Gan and Shen group (DGS, 182 cases) due to different Chinese medical syndrome types. Recruited were another 160 healthy subjects having similar ages and diet structures, who came for medical examinations, as the healthy control group. Venous blood was collected from the medial cubital vein of each-patient on an empty stomach in early mornings to detect blood uric acid levels. Results Blood uric acid levels were lower in each syndrome type group than in the healthy control group (146.08 +/- 67.24 micromol/L in the HSCP group; 157.08 +/- 69.77 micromol/L in the PFDH group; 162.58 +/- 97.72 micromol/L in the RDH group; 156.20 +/- 62.63 micromol/L in the DQB group; 161.83 +/- 111.23 micromol/L in the DGYSY group; 194.41 +/- 90.01 micromol/L in the DGS group; 242.39 +/- 87.55 micromol/L in the healthy control group, P < 0.01). Blood uric acid levels were higher in the DGYSY group than in the other 5 syndrome groups (P < 0.01). Correlation analyses between Goldstein grading and blood uric acid showed that, along with increased Goldstein grade (that was aggravating disease conditions), WD patients' blood uric acid levels decreased (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSWD patient's blood uric acid levels decreased more. Blood uric acid levels and Goldstein grading were different in various Chinese medical syndrome types. Blood uric acid levels had certain value in assessing the severity of WD.