ESOC 2021 | Uric acid for neuroprotection in stroke

Ángel Chamorro, MD, PhD, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona & University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, talks on the promise of uric acid therapy for patients with acute ischemic stroke. Uric acid is a potent antioxidant shown in observational studies to impact prognosis in patients following an ischemic stroke, with higher levels on hospital admission associated with better outcomes. Additionally, murine models have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of uric acid administration. The Phase IIb/III URICO-ICTUS trial (NCT00860366), set up in 2011, was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess whether uric acid therapy would improve functional outcomes at 90 days in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The rate of good functional outcome at 90 days was higher in patients receiving uric acid therapy compared to placebo. Prof. Chamorro emphasizes the need for validation of these findings with a larger Phase III study. This interview took place at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC), 2021.