Gender-dependent impacts of body mass index and moderate alcohol consumption on serum uric acid--an index of oxidant stress status?
Uric acid seems to be causally involved in a variety of medical disorders involving oxidative stress. Although alcohol abuse and obesity are known to increase serum uric acid, the interactions between moderate drinking, adiposity, and uric acid metabolism have remained poorly understood. We examined serum uric acid concentrations from 2062 apparently healthy volunteers (970 men, 1092 women) reporting either no alcohol (abstainers) or <40 g of ethanol consumption per day (moderate drinkers). The study population was further classified according to BMI as follows: <19 (underweight), 19-25 (normal weight), 25-30 (overweight), and >30 (obese). Serum uric acid concentrations in male moderate drinkers were significantly higher, and in females they were lower, than in the corresponding groups of abstainers. In the BMI-based subgroups, the highest concentrations were found in those who were overweight or obese. Significant two-factor interactions occurred between gender and drinking status (p<0.001) and between gender and BMI (p<0.02). Serum uric acid also correlated with indices of hepatocellular health (GGT, ALT, AST). The data indicate distinct gender-dependent impacts of alcohol consumption and BMI on serum uric acid. These findings should be applicable to the assessment of oxidative stress status and associated morbidity in alcohol consumers and individuals with excess body weight.
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Research Unit, Seinäjoki Central Hospital, and University of Tampere, Seinäjoki, Finland.
Päivikki I
PI
Alatalo
Heidi M
HM
Koivisto
Johanna P
JP
Hietala
Risto S
RS
Bloigu
Onni J
OJ
Niemelä
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
D014527:Uric Acid