Uric Acid is Independently Associated with Atherosclerosis among Healthy Chinese in Taiwan

Shao-Yuan Chuang ； Chyi-Huey Bai ； Wen-Harn Pan

《童綜合醫學雜誌》 16卷S期 (2022/09) Pp. 13-19

https://doi.org/10.53106/20713592202209160S003

摘要

Objective: This study investigated the association between uric acid and atherosclerosis in a community population. Methods: We enrolled 2,790 subjects aged ≥ 30 years from the CardioVascular Disease FACTor Two-Township Study. The common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and atherosclerotic plaque were used as indices of atherosclerosis. Pearson's correlation coefficient, the general linear model, and a logistic model were used to assess the association between uric acid and atherosclerosis. Results: Elevated uric acid was moderately associated with obesity, dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure, impaired glucose, insulin resistance (all correlation coefficients ＜ 0.05) and IMT (r:0.12, p ＜ 0.05). Subjects were classified into four groups according to uric acid levels: group 1 (＜5.0 mg/dl), group 2 (5.0-6.9 mg/dl), group 3 (7.0-8.9 mg/dl) and group 4 (≥9.0 mg/dl). The age and sex-adjusted mean of IMT was 0.54 in group 1, was 0.55 in both groups 2 and 3, and the mean of IMT (0.59 mm) in group 4 (≥9.0 mg/dl) was significantly higher. Uric acid (≥9.0 mg/dl) was significantly and positively associated with higher IMT (multivariate adjusted mean: 0.58 mm), independent of other risk factors, and atherosclerosis (≥75^(th) IMT value in the population) with an odds ratio of 2.67 (95% confidence intervals=1.55-4.59). This association remained significant in a healthy subgroup (without metabolic syndrome, hypertension, or diabetes; OR=2.91; CI=1.16-7.25). Conclusion: Uric acid of 9 mg/dL and/or above was independently associated with atherosclerosis in terms of IMT measures in the general population and those without metabolic syndrome. Further study is warranted.

關鍵字

Uric acid ； Intima-media thickness ； Atherosclerosis ； Cross-sectional study ； Chinese