Low serum uric acid levels are associated with incidence and severity in trigeminal neuralgia

Background Uric acid is a natural antioxidant, and low levels of uric acid have been reported to be a potential risk factor in the development of nervous system diseases. Herein, we investigated whether uric acid levels play a role in trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Methods We conducted a cohort study to compare the serum uric acid levels of patients with TN and healthy controls. We also analyzed the impact of uric acid levels on the risk of TN and symptom severity. Results In comparison to control participants (n = 133), uric acid levels were remarkably decreased in patients with TN (n = 181). Uric acid (OR =0.989; 95% CI 0.986-0.993; P < 0.001) was also determined as a protective factor against TN based on multivariate logistic regression models. Furthermore, nonlinear relationships between serum uric acid levels and TN incidence rate and between that and the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) grading were observed. Conclusions Our study is the first to show a relationship between serum uric acid levels and TN. Specifically, low serum uric acid levels were associated with an increased risk of TN and more severe clinical symptoms. We expect that these findings will provide new insights into the prevention and treatment of TN.