title: The association between hyperuricemia and betel nut chewing in Taiwanese men: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have associated betel nut chewing with cancers, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disorders, chronic kidney disease, and proteinuria. This study investigated whether hyperuricemia is associated with betel nut chewing in men who participated in a health check-up program.
  
  
  METHODS
  From hospital records, we identified a total of 11,991 men who participated in the health check-up program from 2003 to 2009. They were divided into hyperuricemic group and non-hyperuricemic group. Laboratory tests, medical history, and status of cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and betel nut chewing were compared between the 2 groups. We calculated odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of hyperuricemia in association with betel nut consumption and other factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the non-hyperuricemic group, the hyperuricemic group was slightly older (59.4 vs. 58.6 years) but less prevalent with betel nut use (11.8 vs. 13.6%, p = 0.003). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that hyperuricemia was negatively associated with betel nut chewing (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.66-0.84), older age (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.77-0.93), and diabetes mellitus (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.50-0.64). On the other hand, hyperuricemia was positively associated with body mass index (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.62-1.90), drinking (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.25-1.49), hypertension (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.30-1.52), mixed hyperlipidemia (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.33-2.54), chronic kidney disease (OR 3.28, 95% CI 2.94-3.65), and proteinuria (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.38). Smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia had no significant association with hyperuricemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that betel nut chewing is negatively associated with hyperuricemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Min-Hwei Junior College of Health Care Management, Tainan City 736, Taiwan. jjeelhsu@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Tsai-Sung
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: Chih-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Hsiang-Chu
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: Wen-Hsin
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yueh-Han
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001114:Areca / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D013624:Taiwan