Relationship between serum uric acid levels and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a prospective cohort study / 中华健康管理学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the correlation between serum uric acid level and non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD).Methods:A medical examination cohort of our hospital′s staff was constructed. From February 1, 2012 to January 29, 2013, a total of 3, 479 staff without NAFLD were selected as research subjects, and baseline data were collected through a questionnaire survey, physical examination, abdominal ultrasound examination, blood lipid, blood glucose, liver and kidney function, and other laboratory tests. From February 1, 2013 to December 31, 2018, the patients were followed up during the annual physical examination for six years. The serum uric acid level was used as the observation index and divided into four groups from A to D according to the quartile. With the occurrence of NAFLD as the outcome indicator; the four groups of uric acid as the observation indicator; and age, body mass index, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, creatinine, and alanine aminotrans ferase as confounding factors; four Cox regression analysis models were constructed to explore the relationship between groups of different blood uric acid levels and NAFLD. Stratified by gender, three Cox regression analysis models were constructed to investigate the relationship between blood uric acid level grouping and NAFLD between different genders.Results:The six-year cumulative incidence of NAFLD in groups A, B, C, and D was 1.2%, 3.1%, 4.9%, and 12%, respectively (χ 2=114.710, P<0.05). Among the female workers, the six-year cumulative incidence rates in groups A, B, C, and D were 1.0%, 2.9%, 4.1% and 10.9%, respectively (χ 2=71.241, P<0.05). The incidence risk of NAFLD in groups B, C, and D was 2.04 (1.01-4.11), 2.24 (1.13-4.44), and 3.89 (1.94-7.80) times that of group A, P<0.05, respectively. The incidence risk of NAFLD in groups B, C, and D was 2.21 (1.02-4.77), 2.39 (1.10-5.19), and 4.49 (1.99-10.15) times that of group A, all P<0.05, respectively. Conclusion:The risk of NAFLD increased with the increase of serum uric acid level, and this trend was mainly manifested in female employees.