Significance of high-normal serum uric acid level as a risk factor for arterial stiffness in healthy Korean men

Abstract

A high serum uric acid (SUA) level is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about the relationship between arterial stiffness and uric acid in healthy subjects with a normal SUA level. We assessed whether a high-normal uric acid level increased arterial stiffness by measuring brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) in healthy subjects. Among 779 subjects who visited the health promotion center, 393 men and 234 women with normal SUA levels (male: 3.5-8.0 mg/dl, female: 2.5-5.4 mg/dl) were divided into quartiles: in men, Q1 (n = 90, 3.5-4.3 mg/dl), Q2 (n = 94, 4.4-5.1 mg/dl), Q3 (n = 106, 5.2-5.9 mg/dl) and Q4 (n = 103, 6.0-8.0 mg/dl); in women, Q1 (n = 57, 2.5-3.6 mg/dl), Q2 (n = 49, 3.7-4.1 mg/dl), Q3 (n = 61, 4.2-4.6 mg/dl) and Q4 (n = 67, 4.7-5.4 mg/dl). The mean values of ba-PWV increased gradually by SUA quartile. The men's SUA had an independent, positive association with ba-PWV after correcting for age, glucose, body mass index, blood pressure, resting heart rate, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and triglyceride (R 2 = 0.39, adjusted R 2 = 0.37, p < 0.001). The odds ratios (95% CI) for high ba-PWVs (> 75th percentile, 1473 cm/s) in men were 1.89 (0.69-5.20, Q2), 2.36 (1.10-5.08, Q3), and 2.91 (1.39-6.11, Q4), after adjusting for confounding factors (p < 0.001). In women, SUA showed no independent association with ba-PWV (p = 0.186). After adjusting for confounding factors, the mean ba-PWV values of Q3 (1418 cm/s) and Q4 (1421 cm/s) in men were higher than those of Q1 (1355 cm/s) (p < 0.05). Above the SUA level of 5.2 mg/ dl, arterial stiffness was increased in healthy Korean men.

Association between serum uric acid, aortic, carotid and femoral stiffness among adults aged 40–75 years without and with type 2 diabetes mellitus

“…Arterial stiffness can be measured at different arterial segments and sites, and by use of different techniques which include regional carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), brachialankle PWV (baPWV), and local carotid and femoral stiffness. Several studies have assessed the association between uric acid and regional arterial stiffness, with conflicting results [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. However, in most of these studies [12,14,[16][17][18][19][20], arterial stiffness was determined via the assessment of baPWV.…”

Association of Uric Acid Levels with Arterial Stiffness in Korean Women and Non-smoking Men

“…In a study, arterial stiffness was increased in healthy Korean men (Shin et al, 2012). In the present study, hyperuricemia was defined as the highest quartile of vales (≥6.9 mg/dL in men and 4.8 mg/dL in women).…”

“…In the present study, hyperuricemia was defined as the highest quartile of vales (≥6.9 mg/dL in men and 4.8 mg/dL in women). Several other studies also used the quartiles of serum uric acid (Lim et al, 2010;Fang et al, 2014;Shin et al, 2012;Ishizaka et al, 2007;Fang et al, 2000). A Japanese study reported that serum uric acid is associated with baPWV, and thus increased arterial stiffness (Ishizaka et al, 2007).…”

Treating Arterial Stiffness Associated with Features of Metabolic Syndrome Not Included in its Diagnostic Criteria: Cutting Off the Heads of Lernaean Hydra, Keeper of the Underworld

“…Interestingly, in a recent study in subjects with SUA levels within the reference range, those with high-normal SUA levels had an increased AS (higher brachial-ankle PWV) after adjusting for confounding factors [51]. Thus, even SUA levels within the normal range appear to represent a risk factor for AS [51].…”