title: Associations between serum uric acid and adipokines, markers of inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum uric acid is associated with the metabolic syndrome and its components, while its relationship with cardiovascular disease is controversial. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between uric acid and adipokines, markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction, which are all linked to cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The associations between uric acid and adiponectin, resistin, leptin, high-sensitivity-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, nitrotyrosine, Total Antioxidant Status (TAS), E-selectin, vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) were cross-sectionally evaluated in a randomly collected sample of 100 men from a population-based cohort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects within the highest uric acid quartile showed a worse metabolic pattern and a higher prevalence of the metabolic syndrome [odds ratio (OR)=3.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-8.2; p<0.001 for each 50 micromol/l uric acid increment in a logistic regression model after multiple adjustments]. Nitrotyrosine and adiponectin were significantly lower, while TAS, hs-CRP, E-selectin, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 were higher in the groups with increased uric acid levels. In a multiple regression model, after adjustments for multiple confounders, uric acid levels were inversely associated with nitrotyrosine (p<0.001) and adiponectin (p=0.02), and directly with TAS (p<0.001), and E-selectin (p=0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum uric acid showed opposite relationships, being associated with both beneficial (inverse association with nitrotyrosine, direct association with TAS) and detrimental (inverse association with adiponectin, direct association with E-selectin) markers, thus providing a possible explanation for the previously reported controversial and not linear association between uric acid and cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy. sbo@molinette.piemonte.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gambino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durazzo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghione
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Musso
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cassader
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cavallo-Perin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pagano
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D014527:Uric Acid