Researchers have found a crucial link between high uric acid levels and serious health risks in children suffering from severe malaria.
Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine, alongside their partners at the Makerere University School of Medicine in Uganda, have discovered a significant connection between high levels of uric acid and dangerous outcomes in children with severe malaria.
In a study published in Nature Medicine, scientists pointed out that hyperuricemia—an elevation in uric acid levels—could be a factor contributing to increased mortality rates and lasting neurodevelopmental issues in children affected by severe malaria. These insights pave the way for future investigations aimed at enhancing treatment options for kids suffering from severe malaria, a disease spread by parasites carried by mosquitoes and a leading cause of fatalities among children in Africa.
Chandy C. John, MD, a professor of pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine and co-author of the study, stated, “Our findings indicate that hyperuricemia is significantly linked to hospital deaths and post-discharge mortality, as well as long-term cognitive impairments in children with severe malaria. We also identified several mechanisms showing how hyperuricemia may lead to these adverse outcomes, indicating that it might not only be associated with negative effects but could also play a role in causing them.”
In their research, the team examined data from two separate groups of children with severe malaria in Uganda and discovered that 25% of them had hyperuricemia. This condition arises from an excess of uric acid, which is a toxic waste product found in the blood. The main causes of hyperuricemia among the participants were the breakdown of infected red blood cells and kidney damage, both of which impair the body’s ability to eliminate excess uric acid.
The study linked hyperuricemia to four concerning outcomes for these children: severe health complications such as coma and anemia, an increased risk of dying during hospital care, a greater chance of death after leaving the hospital, and long-term cognitive difficulties in those who survive.
Additionally, the research indicated that children with hyperuricemia harbored more harmful bacteria in their intestines, which could penetrate the damaged gut lining and trigger sepsis. These findings emphasize the need for clinical trials to assess the potential benefits of medications that reduce uric acid levels as a complementary treatment for severe malaria.
Andrea Conroy, PhD, an associate professor of pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine and co-leader of the study, remarked, “Further studies are required to see if lowering uric acid levels in children with severe malaria could reduce deaths in hospitals, deaths after discharge, and long-term cognitive issues.” She added, “We hope these studies will provide new insights that might lead to better treatments and save lives.”
This research builds on the team’s earlier work, which identified partial resistance to the primary malaria treatment in African children with severe cases. Both studies highlight the urgent need to develop new approaches to tackle malaria, which impacted 263 million individuals and resulted in nearly 600,000 deaths globally in 2023.
