SERUM URATE LEVELS BETWEEN AGES 10 AND 14 - CHANGES IN SEX TRENDS

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 90  (6) , 990-996
Abstract
Urate levels were assayed in sera of 292 subjects between 10-14 yr of age identified through a probability sample of a natural population. The sex trends in serum urate concentrations characteristic of childhood was seen to continue into early adolescence, with girls maintaining slightly higher means. Between 10-14 yr there was first an overlap of male and female values followed by a reversal of trends, with much higher means in boys. Serum urate concentrations peaked in girls at age 11 and gradually stabilized at lower levels. Boys, on the other hand, showed little age variation in serum urate at 10 and 11 yr but by age 12 showed sharp upward trends which contiued throughout adolescence. Since age and body weight are known to be important covariates of serum urate, boys were matched to girls of the same age and body weight. Significant sex differences in urate levels persisted (after matching) only for 14 yr old adolescents and thus at this age could not be ascribed to weight differentials. The study highlights a peripubertal phenomenon whose mechanism might be endocrine related.

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