Peripheral neuropathy is associated with increased serum levels of uric acid in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

We assessed serum uric acid (SUA) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with or without peripheral neuropathy (diagnosed by the Neuropathy Disability score [NDS]). We enrolled 64 patients with T2DM with peripheral neuropathy (group A: 31 men, mean age 63.0 ± 2.8 years) and 66 age-, gender-, renal function- and T2DM duration-matched patients without neuropathy (group B: 32 men, mean age 62.4 ± 3.1 years). Serum uric acid was significantly higher in group A (P < .001). There was a significant correlation between SUA and NDS in both groups (group A: r(s) = .93, P < .001; group B: r( s) = .95, P < .001). C-reactive protein (CRP) was also significantly higher in group A (P < .001) and correlated significantly with SUA in both groups (group A: r(s) = .93, P < .001; group B: r(s) = .87, P < .001). Serum uric acid is increased in patients with T2DM with neuropathy versus those without. Whether SUA is involved in the pathogenesis of T2DM peripheral neuropathy remains to be established.