Prevalence of hyperuricemia and its relationship with metabolic syndrome in Thai adults receiving annual health exams.
BACKGROUND
Associations between hyperuricemia, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and diabetes have been reported. Limited information, however, is available concerning the prevalence and correlates of hyperuricemia among Thai men and women. We sought to estimate the prevalence of hyperuricemia among a population of patients receiving annual health exams and to evaluate its relationship with metabolic syndrome (MetS).


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,381 patients (376 men and 1,005 women) who first participated in annual health examinations at the Preventive Medicine Clinic of the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand during the period July 1999 through February 2000. Hyperuricemia was defined as >7.0 mg/dL in men and >6.0 mg/dL in women. MetS was defined using the modified ATP III criteria.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of the hyperuricemia was 10.6%. The condition was more common in men than in women (18.4 vs. 7.8%). Among women, serum uric acid was statistically significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglyceride and fasting plasma glucose (all p <0.05). Men with serum uric acid concentrations >6.7 mg/dL (upper quartile) had a 3.91-fold increased in risk of MetS (95% CI:1.36-11.23), as compared with those who had concentrations <5.1 mg/dL (lowest quartile). Among women, the risk of MetS increased at least 2-fold for concentration of serum uric acid concentrations >4.0 mg/dL (p for trend <0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperuricemia is prevalent among Thai men and women receiving routine health exams. Additionally, serum uric acid is positively associated with MetS.
Lohsoonthorn
Vitool
V
Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. vitool@u.washington.edu
Dhanamun
Bodi
B
Williams
Michelle A
MA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010808:Physical Examination; D015995:Prevalence; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D014527:Uric Acid