Year: 2026 | Month: April | Volume: 16 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 317-327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20260439
Serum Uric Acid as a Biomarker of Disease Severity and Treatment Response in COPD Patients: A Hospital-Based Study in Tripura
Sharadia Majumder1, Subhraneel Paul2, Sukanta Nath3, Matrujyoti Pattnaik4
13rd Year Post Graduate Trainee, Department of Biochemistry, Agartala Government Medical College, Agartala, Tripura, India.
2Assistant Professor, Department of Radiodiagnosis, Tripura Medical College, Agartala, Tripura, India.
3Research Scientist, Department of Molecular Oncology, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Regional Cancer Centre, Agartala, Tripura, India.
4PhD Research Scholar, Department of Microbiology & Public Health, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
Corresponding Author: Dr. Sukanta Nath
ABSTRACT
Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by persistent inflammation and oxidative stress. Serum uric acid (SUA) has been proposed as a potential biomarker reflecting disease activity.
Aim: To evaluate SUA levels among admitted COPD patients and assess their role in monitoring disease severity and treatment response.
Methods: A hospital-based observational study was conducted among COPD patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Tripura. SUA levels were measured at admission and discharge. Demographic, socioeconomic, occupational, and smoking-related factors were analysed for associations.
Results: Mean SUA levels were significantly elevated at admission (6.43 ± 1.21 mg/dL) compared to discharge (4.70 ± 0.75 mg/dL; p < 0.001). Younger patients aged ≤50 years (6.81 ± 1.23 mg/dL) and those from higher socioeconomic groups (7.03 ± 1.50 mg/dL) exhibited higher SUA values. Occupational exposure, particularly among housewives (6.89 ± 1.28 mg/dL), was associated with elevated levels. Interestingly, nonsmokers had slightly higher SUA than smokers (6.65 ± 1.28 vs 6.43 ± 1.21 mg/dL), though not statistically significant (p=0.64).
Conclusion: SUA levels decline significantly with clinical improvement, supporting its utility as a dynamic biomarker in COPD management. Its inexpensive measurement makes it particularly valuable in resource-limited settings. Contextual factors such as socioeconomic status and occupational exposure should be considered when interpreting SUA levels.
Key words: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, serum uric acid, biomarker, oxidative stress, socioeconomic determinants, Tripura.