I read with interest the recently published article in Indian Pediatrics reporting the association between hematological indices and serum uric acid in adolescents with hyperuricemia [1]. Serum uric acid levels were found to be correlated with white and red blood cell count, hematocrit, and hemoglobin in adolescents with hyperuricemia. However, some issues need clarification:

First, in the original study, it was stated that hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid level >5.5 mg/dL and the same level was used as an inclusion criteria for adolescents aged between 11 and 21 years. Moreover, majority (78%) of 607 adolescents were boys. Reference values of serum uric acid are different, based on age and gender [2-5]. The use of this single value (>5.5 mg/dL) for the diagnosis of hyperuricemia does not seem appropriate. Second, it is stated that diabetes mellitus and hypertension were used as exclusion criteria in the original study. However, it is also indicated that 187 (31 %) of adolescents had metabolic syndrome (MetS). This seems to be contradictory.

1. Stelmach MJ, Szczerbinski L, Wasilewska N, Protas P, Wasilewska A. Hematological parameters in adolescents with hyperuricemia. Indian Pediatr. 2014;51:1003-5.

2. Tomczak J, Wasilewska A, Milewski R. Urine NGAL and KIM-1 in children and adolescents with hyperuricemia. Pediatr Nephrol. 2013;28:1863-9.

3. Sertoglu E, Ercin CN, Celebi G, Gurel H, Kayadibi H, Genc H, et al. The relationship of serum uric acid with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Clin Biochem. 2014;47:383-8.

4. Mayo Clinic, Mayo Medical Laboratories, Test Catalog. Uric Acid, Serum. Available from: http://www. mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Clinical+ and+Interpretive/8440. Accessed February 12, 2015