Serum concentrations of uric acid and the metabolic syndrome among US children and adolescents.
BACKGROUND
The association between concentrations of uric acid and the metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents remains incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to examine how these 2 were associated in a nationally representative sample of US children and adolescents.


RESULTS
We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 1370 males and females aged 12 to 17 years using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was < 1% among participants in the lowest quartile of serum concentration of uric acid, 3.7% in the second quartile, 10.3% in the third quartile, and 21.1% in the highest quartile. Compared with the lowest 2 quartiles of uric acid together (< or = 291.5 micromol/L), the odds ratios were 5.80 (95% confidence interval, 3.22 to 10.46) for those in the third quartile (> 291.5 to < or = 339 micromol/L or > 4.9 to < or = 5.7 mg/dL) and 14.79 (95% confidence interval, 7.78 to 28.11) for those in the top quartile (> 339 micromol/L) after adjustment for age, sex, race or ethnicity, and concentrations of C-reactive protein. Starting with the lowest quartile of concentration of uric acid, mean concentrations of serum insulin were 66.2, 66.7, 79.9, and 90.9 pmol/L for ascending quartiles, respectively (P for trend <0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Among US children and adolescents, serum concentrations of uric acid are strongly associated with the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and several of its components.
Ford
Earl S
ES
Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, MS K66, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. eford@cdc.gov
Li
Chaoyang
C
Cook
Stephen
S
Choi
Hyon K
HK
D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D019540:Area Under Curve; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012372:ROC Curve; D012306:Risk; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D014527:Uric Acid; D002097:C-Reactive Protein