Sandra N Ofori, Osaretin J OdiaDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, NigeriaBackground: Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular mortality, as it acts through its effects on target organs, such as the heart and kidneys. Hyperuricemia increases cardiovascular risk in patients with hypertension.Objective: To assess the relationship between serum uric acid and target organ damage (left ventricular hypertrophy and microalbuminuria) in untreated patients with essential hypertension.Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 130 (85 females, 45 males) newly diagnosed, untreated patients with essential hypertension. Sixty-five healthy age- and sex-matched non-hypertensive individuals served as controls for comparison. Left ventricular hypertrophy was evaluated by cardiac ultrasound scan, and microalbuminuria was assessed in an early morning midstream urine sample by immunoturbidimetry. Blood samples were collected for assessing uric acid levels.Results: Mean serum uric acid was significantly higher among the patients with hypertension (379.7±109.2 µmol/L) than in the controls (296.9±89.8 µmol/L; P