A recent study has found that measuring the amount of uric acid present in wound fluid can help to distinguish the wound’s severity.

Uric acid plays a part in inhibiting wound healing as it deposits monosodium urate crystals into the wound, which creates an inflammatory response.  By measuring the components of wound fluid, researchers found that when the level of uric acid is high, the wound is more severe and long lasting.

'With respect to diagnostic applications, the severity of a wound could be monitored by detecting the levels of uric acid or the levels of one or more of the uric acid precursors in wound fluid,' the researchers explained. 'The detection of elevated levels of uric acid would appear to be associated with a more severe wound, while elevated levels of precursor purines correlate to a less severe wound. Monitoring changes of purine metabolites in wound fluid is therefore likely to provide valuable information regarding the healing patterns of chronic venous leg ulcers.'

The study proposes that discovering a way to inhibit uric acid and its precursors may help chronic wounds heal faster.

To see the study, click here.

Image: Monosodium Urate Crystals exuded from a foot wound. Credit: euthman on Flickr.