Hyperuricemia is Associated With an Increased Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in a General Population and a Decreased Prevalence of Diabetes in Men

ABSTRACT

. Elevated uric acid is associated with cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. However, uric acid is also an antioxidant with beneficial effect on comorbidities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of serum uric acid with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease in a Korean adult population. Methods. A total of 5,887 (weighted n=40,251,868) participants aged ≥19 years from the 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included for analysis. Weighted prevalence and odds ratio (OR) of comorbidities were analyzed according to the presence of hyperuricemia and uric acid quartile. Results. Participants of both sexes with hyperuricemia showed higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and obesity than those without hyperuricemia. After adjusting for socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics, hyperuricemia was associated with a decreased prevalence of diabetes mellitus in men (OR: 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28∼0.72, p=0.001) and a decreased prevalence of myocardial infarction or angina (OR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.08∼0.75, p=0.013) in women. Hyperuricemia was significantly associated with an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome in both men (OR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.33∼2.45, p＜0.001) and women (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.22∼ 3.13, p=0.006). Conclusion. Hyperuricemia was associated with a decreased prevalence of diabetes mellitus in men and a decreased prevalence of myocardial infarction or angina in women. Hyperuricemia was associated with an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome in both men and women.