Serum uric acid, creatinine, and the assessment of antioxidant capacity in critical illness
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* Corresponding author: Ivo Giovannini ivo.giovannini@rm.unicatt.it
Hepato-biliary Surgery Unit, Sub-intensive Care, and CNR-IASI Center for the Pathophysiology of Shock, Catholic University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy
Critical Care 2006, 10:421 doi:10.1186/cc5008
Published: 4 September 2006First paragraph (this article has no abstract)
In their nice study on serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in sepsis [1] Chuang and coworkers have demonstrated an increase in TAC that was directly correlated to severity of illness and poor outcome, and to increasing levels of serum uric acid (UA). Although the increase in TAC might be interpreted as an extreme protective attempt against overwhelming inflammation, this must still be proved, as correctly commented on by the authors.