HYPERURICEMIA IN MYXEDEMA*

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Abstract
Serum uric acid levels were determined in 28 myxedematous patients and compared to the levels in 7 hyperthyroid patients and 33 normal subjects. Urinary urate excretions were also measured in 18 patients and 24-hour uric acid excretion rates determined in 16. The data indicate that most of the myxedematous males and one-third of the myxedematous females had significant hyperuricemia. Postmenopausal women were the only females in the myxedematous group exhibiting hyperuricemia. Myxedematous patients of both sexes showed a decreased urinary excretion of urate and a decreased renal urate excretion rate as com-pared to hyperthyroid patients. Amounts of triiodothyronine or tri-iodothyropropionic acid which were sufficient to elevate the basal metabolic rate to normal in the myxedematous patients studied, caused a urate diuresis, an increase in the 24-hour urate excretion rate, and a decrease in the level of serum uric acid.