Relationship between infarct size and serum uric acid levels during the acute phase of stroke.

Patients with larger infarcts exhibited a significant decrease in serum uric acid levels, accounting for a more prominent reactive oxygen species scavenging activity with subsequent consumption and decay of this antioxidant. The different kinetics of total antioxidant capacity of plasma and serum uric acid levels suggests a specific role of uric acid in the antioxidant response in ischemic stroke.