Hypouricemia in individuals admitted to an inpatient hospital-based facility.

Background: Decreased serum uric acid levels resulting from renal urate wasting occasionally are reported in hospitalized patients because of isolated or generalized proximal tubular damage. There are limited recent findings with regard to the incidence and cause of hypouricemia in patients admitted to an internal medicine clinic. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of hypouricemia in individuals admitted to our inpatient hospital-based facility and identify underlying causes and pathogenetic mechanisms and any association of hypouricemia and uricosuria with other tubular defects.