High levels of serum uric acid are associated with silent brain infarction.
BACKGROUND
Uric acid has been known to exert neuroprotective effects by acting as a free radical scavenger; however, several observational studies indicated that high levels of serum uric acid increased the risk of cardiovascular events or stroke. We sought to determine whether increased levels of uric acid are associated with the presence of silent brain infarction (SBI).


METHODS
We recruited a consecutive series of non-stroke individuals who visited the Healthcare System in our hospital and underwent brain MRI (n=1577). We conducted intensive interviews and laboratory examinations, including serum uric acid. We examined associations between SBI and vascular risk factors including uric acid by controlling possible confounders.


RESULTS
Of the 1577 subjects recruited, 921 were men and 656 were women, and the uric acid level was much higher in the men (6.3±1.3) than in the women (4.7±1.0). There was a strong dose-response relationship between the quartiles of uric acid and the presence of SBI in women (p=0.001), but not in men. Multivariable analysis showed that the highest quartile of uric acid level was an independent risk factor for the presence of SBI in total patients (adjusted OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.11-2.91). However, this association remained significant in women (adjusted OR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.17-5.91), but not in men.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that an increased level of uric acid may be a risk factor for the presence of SBI. Serum uric acid level might be a good serum marker of underlying SBI or future stroke, especially in women.
Heo
Sung Hyuk
SH
Department of Neurology, Kyunghee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Lee
Seung-Hoon
SH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
D014527:Uric Acid; D002097:C-Reactive Protein