title: High serum uric acid levels increase the risk of metabolic syndrome in elderly women: The PRO.V.A study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum uric acid (SUA) is the end-product of purine metabolism in humans, and its levels often increase in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Despite several studies demonstrating a relationship between increased SUA levels and the prevalence of MetS, prospective data on SUA as a predictor of the incidence of MetS in the elderly are limited. Our aim was to conduct a prospective study on the association between SUA concentrations and the onset of MetS in an elderly Italian cohort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This is a cohort study (Progetto Veneto Anziani; Pro.V.A.) involving community-dwelling subjects aged ≥65 years and followed up for a mean 4.4 years. We included 1128 participants (aged 74.7 ± 7.1 years) without MetS at the baseline. Gender-specific SUA groups according to the standard deviation (SD) from the mean were considered, taking the incidence of MetS as the main outcome. The mean SUA level was significantly higher in men than in women (5.4 ± 1.2 vs. 4.5 ± 1.2 mg/dl; p < 0.0001). Over the 4.4-year follow-up, 496 individuals developed MetS. After adjusting for potential confounders, Cox's regression analysis revealed no relationship between higher baseline SUA concentrations and the incidence of MetS in men or in the sample as whole, while women with SUA levels more than 1 SD above the mean (≥5.7 mg/dl) carried a 58% higher risk (95%CI: 1.03-2.40; p = 0.03) of being newly diagnosed with MetS during the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High SUA levels significantly and independently predicted MetS in older women, but not in men, over a 4.4-year follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Italy. Electronic address: annazurlo@fastewebnet.it.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zurlo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Veronese
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giantin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maselli
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Clinica Medica 1, University of Padova, Italy; National Research Council, Neuroscience Institute, Aging Branch, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zambon
authors.affiliation: National Research Council, Neuroscience Institute, Aging Branch, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Clinica Medica 1, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Musacchio
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Toffanello
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Clinica Medica 1, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Public Health Unit, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perissinotto
authors.affiliation: National Research Council, Neuroscience Institute, Aging Branch, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crepaldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Italy; National Research Council, Neuroscience Institute, Aging Branch, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manzato
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sergi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014527:Uric Acid
keywords: Cohort study; Community-dwelling adults; Elderly; Metabolic syndrome X; Uric acid