Serum uric acid in Korean children and adolescents: reference percentiles and association with metabolic syndrome

Abstract

To establish age/sex-specific reference intervals for serum uric acid and to examine the associations between serum uric acid level and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in Korean children and adolescents. Methods: We analyzed data for 1,349 subjects aged 10 to 19 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016-2017. Results: The mean uric acid levels were 5.9±1.3 mg/dL (interquartile range, 5.0-6.8 mg/dL) in males and 4.6±0.9 mg/dL (interquartile range, 3.9-5.2 mg/dL) in females. The mean uric acid level increased significantly from 10-13 years of age in males, but not in females. The overall prevalence of MetS was 5.9% (7.3% in males and 4.3% in females; P=0.022). The prevalences of MetS in the lowest, second, third, and highest quartiles of uric acid level were 4.4%, 3.3%, 6.1%, and 15.2%, respectively, in males (P for trend <0.001) and 1.9%, 0.0%, 4.1%, and 10.9%, respectively, in females (P for trend <0.001). Compared with the lowest quartile of uric acid level, the odds ratio (with 95% confidence interval) for MetS in the highest quartile was 2.897 (1.140-7.361) in males and 5.173 (1.459-18.342) in females. Subjects in the highest quartile exhibited increased risk for abdominal obesity and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in both sexes. Conclusion: Serum uric acid level is positively associated with MetS and its components abdominal obesity and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Association between the uric acid to high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and alanine transaminase in Chinese short stature children and adolescents: A cross-sectional study

“…Elevated uric acid levels contribute to the development of adverse conditions. Previous results suggest a strong association between uric acid levels and metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents, and various mechanisms have been proposed to explain this correlation (31). HDL-C has the effects of reverse transport of cholesterol to reduce atherosclerosis, anti-inflammation, anti-thrombosis, antiapoptosis, and vasodilation (32).…”

Relationship between bisphenol A, bisphenol S, and bisphenol F and serum uric acid concentrations among school-aged children

“…Risk factors for hyperuricemia have been of interest since hyperuricemia was linked to hypertension, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular diseases in studies on adults [ 43 , 44 ]. In pediatric populations, serum uric acid concentrations have been associated with abdominal obesity [ 4 , 7 ], high blood pressure [ 6 , 45 – 47 ], insulin resistance [ 4 ], and metabolic syndrome [ 4 , 7 , 46 ]. In our children’s cohort, BMI z-scores and eGFR, reflective of reflecting kidney function, were significantly related to serum uric acid concentrations ( S2 Table ).…”

“…Although extracellular uric acid acts as a strong antioxidant, intracellular uric acid acts as a pro-oxidant when it stimulates NADPH oxidase and increases oxidative stress [ 2 ]. Hyperuricemia has been identified as a cause of gout and nephrolithiasis, and its relationship with hypertension, metabolic syndrome, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease in adult [ 3 ] and pediatric populations has been proposed [ 4 – 7 ].…”

Comparison between School-Age Children with and without Obesity in Nutritional and Inflammation Biomarkers

“…A study from Taiwan showed that a high level of uric acid (≥7.3 for males and ≥6.2 mg/dL for females) increased the risk of hypertension in males and females, and metabolic syndrome in male adolescents after 10 years of follow-up [ 57 ]. Cho et al reported that serum uric acid level is positively associated with metabolic syndrome in children [ 58 ]. Accordingly, uric acid might be a useful marker of metabolic syndrome.…”