title: Preterm Birth Is Associated with Higher Uric Acid Levels in Adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare serum uric acid levels in adolescents born prematurely and adolescents born at term and to assess the correlation between serum uric acid and blood pressure (BP) in those born prematurely.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this observational cohort study, 124 adolescents born prematurely and 44 adolescents born at term were studied at 14 years of age. Multivariate analyses were used to describe the relationship of premature birth to serum uric acid while adjusting for confounding variables. Pearson correlation was used to describe the relationship between uric acid and systolic BP among those born prematurely.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjusting for race, sex, maternal hypertension, and fetal growth, we found that preterm adolescents had greater serum uric acid levels than adolescents born at term (adjusted mean difference 0.46, 95% CI 0.10-0.81 mg/dL; 27.4, 6-48.2 μmol/L; P = .012). Among those born prematurely, uric acid was positively correlated with systolic BP (Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.29, 0.12-0.44; P = .0013).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum uric acid levels are greater in adolescents born prematurely than in those born at term, and this difference could contribute to greater BP among individuals born prematurely.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC. Electronic address: liwashbu@wakehealth.edu.
authors: Lisa K
authors: LK
authors: Washburn
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC; Department of Health and Exercise Science, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC.
authors: Patricia A
authors: PA
authors: Nixon
authors: Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC.
authors: Gregory B
authors: GB
authors: Russell
authors: Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC.
authors: Beverly M
authors: BM
authors: Snively
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC; Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC.
authors: T Michael
authors: TM
authors: O'Shea
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D047928:Premature Birth; D013599:Systole; D047929:Term Birth; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014527:Uric Acid