Uric acid level was linked with neurocognitive performance in teenage survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in a study involving more than 350 individuals. In adult survivors, hyperuricemia during adolescence predicted CV health, which correlated with poorer neurocognitive outcomes.

Participants—ALL survivors treated with chemotherapy only--included 126 adolescents and 226 adults. Investigators measured uric acid levels and assessed neurocognitive performance in both groups. They also looked at CV risk factors in adults, as well as uric acid measures taken when the adults were teens. Among the results:

• Adolescents with elevated uric acid had poorer attention, visual-processing speed, and cognitive flexibility.

• Uric acid level was not linked with neurocognitive deficits in adults.

• Nearly half of adults developed dyslipidemia, one-third had hypertension, and one-fourth obesity; high uric acid levels during adolescence were linked with these risks.

• Adults with dyslipidemia and abdominal obesity experienced slower fine-motor processing.

Citation: Cheung Y, Edelmann M, Mulrooney D, et al. Uric acid and neurocognitive function in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with chemotherapy only. [Published online ahead of print June 26, 2016]. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-16-0118.