Association of Serum Uric Acid with Cardiovascular Disease in Taiwanese Patients with Primary Hypertension.
BACKGROUND
Hyperuricemia is closely linked to hypertension and may be a marker of susceptibility or an intermediate step in the development of metabolic syndrome. However, recently, there have been conflicting conclusions regarding the independent role of uric acid as a risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The specific role of serum uric acid (SUA) in relation to CVD remains controversial, and there are limited reports utilizing Asian data available on this issue. Therefore, this study investigated the association between SUA and cardiovascular disease in Taiwanese patients with essential hypertension.


METHODS
There were 3472 participants from 55-80 years of age (1763 males, 1709 females) from 38 sites across Taiwan in this hospital-based cross-sectional study, covering the period November 2005 to December 2006. The CVD included diagnosed angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and stroke.


RESULTS
Hyperuricemia is positively associated with CVD in both sexes when a unified cut-off SUA level of 7 mg/dl was used. However, the odds ratios (ORs) for all CVD were greater in magnitude in hypertensive women than in men when there was co-morbidity of diabetes. The ORs of all CVD in the diabetes subgroup were statistically significantly (p = 0.01 for women, p = 0.07 for men). By multivariate analysis, hyperuricemia did not confer an increased risk of CVD.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperuricemia may be associated with increased risk of CVD, but is not an independent risk factor of CVD in essential hypertensive Taiwanese patients.


BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular disease; Hypertension; Hyperuricemia; Uric acid.
Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung;
Tsung-Yuan
TY
Yang
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital - Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung;
Chih-Yuan
CY
Fang
Chu Shang Show Chwan Hospital;
Jung-Sheng
JS
Chen
Mackay Memorial Hospital;
Helen L
HL
Po
Sin Lau Hospital, The Presbyterian Church of Taiwan;
Li-Ping
LP
Chou
Cardinal Tien Hospital Yung Ho Branch, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Chih-Yeng
CY
Chiang
Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung;
Kwo-Chang
KC
Ueng