Gout and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between gout and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).


METHODS
The study subjects were participants in a health-screening programme at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from 2000 to 2006. Subjects were classified into eight groups based on serum urate (SU) level and gout status (≤ 4.9, 5.0-6.9, 7.0-8.9, and ≥ 9.0 mg/dL, without and with gout). The association between gout and NAFLD was assessed by multiple logistic regression.


RESULTS
Among a total of 54 325 subjects, 1930 (3.6%) had gout and 6169 (11.3%) had NAFLD. The prevalence of NAFLD was significantly higher in subjects with gout (23.1%, n = 445) than in those without gout (10.9%, n = 5724, p < 0.001). Among subjects with NAFLD, the severity of NAFLD was higher in gout patients. Gout was associated with an increased risk for NAFLD [odds ratio (OR) 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-1.60, p < 0.001], after adjustment for age, sex, presence of metabolic syndrome, and low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). With SU ≤ 4.9 mg/dL in the absence of gout as reference, the ORs (95% CI) for NAFLD, after adjustment for age, sex, presence of metabolic syndrome, and low eGFR, were, respectively, 2.16 (1.94-2.41), 3.98 (3.55-4.46), and 5.99 (5.19-6.90) for SU levels 2-4 in those without gout and 2.61 (1.39-4.91), 2.87 (2.04-4.04), 4.53 (3.70-5.56), and 6.31 (5.12-7.77) for SU levels 1-4 in those with gout.


CONCLUSIONS
There was an independent association between gout and the risk for NAFLD. In addition, there was a dose-response relationship between SU and NAFLD in subjects with and without gout.
Kuo
C-F
CF
Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Yu
K-H
KH
Luo
S-F
SF
Chiu
C-T
CT
Ko
Y-S
YS
Hwang
J-S
JS
Tseng
W-Y
WY
Chang
H-C
HC
Chen
H-W
HW
See
L-C
LC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006073:Gout / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood
D014527:Uric Acid