Relationship between Serum Uric Acid Level and Clinical Symptom Improvement in Patients with Bipolar Disorder Type I in Their Manic Episode

[Objectives] To evaluate whether the level of serum uric acid in patients with bipolar disorder type I in their manic episode was different from that in healthy subjects, and to evaluate whether the level of serum uric acid is related to the severity of manic episode and the improvement of clinical symptoms. [Methods] A total of 70 patients with bipolar disorder type I in their manic episode were selected, their serum uric acid levels were measured at the beginning of the enrollment and at the end of the first, second and third week, and the clinical symptoms were evaluated with Young Mania Rating Scale(YMRS). 65 healthy subjects were enrolled, and their serum uric acid levels were measured only at the beginning of the enrollment. [Results] The level of serum uric acid in patients with bipolar disorder type I in their manic episode was higher than that in healthy adults(t=8.153, p=0.039). At the end of the third week, the YMRS score and uric acid level of the patients were lower than those of the patients at the beginning of the enrollment(t=17.107, p=0.000; t=35.864, p=0.000). [Conclusions] The level of serum uric acid in patients with bipolar disorder type I in their manic episode was higher than that in healthy subjects, and the decrease of serum uric acid level may be related to the improvement of clinical symptoms.