Association between Hyperuricemia and Metabolic Syndrome: An Epidemiological Study of a Labor Force Population in Taiwan

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) has become an important issue worldwide. Metabolic comorbidities of hypertension, obesity, and hyperlipidemia are shown as important risk factors for incident gout. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between hyperuricemia and MetS. This is a cross-sectional study. The effective sample included 21,544 individuals who received worker health examinations at a local teaching hospital in Changhua County from 2008~2012. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to investigate the influences of hyperuricemia on MetS. The results showed that individuals with MetS had significantly higher blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, waist circumference, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol than those without MetS (P < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed hyperuricemia to be an important factor of MetS. The risk of developing MetS is higher with high levels of serum uric acid (SUA) and the odds ratio (OR) of having MetS is 4.98 times higher for Tertile 3 than for Tertile 1 (95% CI = 4.16–5.97) and 4 times higher for Quartile 4 than for Quartile 1 (95% CI = 3.59–4.46). In conclusion, males are more likely to develop MetS than females, and the risk of having MetS increases with age and SUA concentration.

Prevalence and Metabolic Factors of Hyperuricemia in an Elderly Agricultural and Fishing Population in Taiwan

“…The prevalence of hyperuricemia in our study population (30.4%) was higher than that reported in previous population-based studies conducted in general Chinese populations. 11,16,[20][21][22]25 The agricultural and fishing population endures strenuous working conditions, job stress, and reversed working and resting times compared to those of the general population. 5 Irregular lifestyles and carelessness regarding personal health are also major problems in this population.…”

“…This finding is consistent with the results of previous hospital-and communitybased studies for general and occupational populations. 11,[21][22][23] The mechanism underlying the slightly lower prevalence of hyperuricemia in males aged ≥85 than in those aged 75-84 years remains unclear; nevertheless, in females, the increase in hyperuricemia prevalence with increasing age may be explained by postmenopausal changes in the endocrine system and estrogen levels. 22 Consistent with other studies, 21,22,25 we observed a positive association between hyperuricemia and metabolic disorders in our Chinese population.…”

“…11,22,25 Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of three diseases-hypertension, hyperglycemia, and gout, 11 Although metabolic syndrome is clearly associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and abnormal blood lipids, which lead to the three diseases, the etiological mechanisms of this 26 Previous studies have indicated that serum uric acid level can be used as a crucial predictor of metabolic syndrome and that the number of metabolic syndrome components increases the prevalence and OR for significantly increased uric acid activity. 11,27,28 Among patients with chronic hepatitis, fructose load may cause a substantial increase in serum uric acid levels. 5,7 Furthermore, serum uric acid levels are high in patients with chronic liver lesions.…”

“…30 Here, we observed a positive association between serum creatinine level and hyperuricemia, consistent with other studies. 11,31 Although evidence-based studies have indicated that serum uric acid itself may harm patients with chronic kidney disease by increasing inflammation and progression, the topic remains controversial. 31 In addition, we observed that BUN is strongly associated with hyperuricemia after adjustment for confounding factors.…”

Efficacy and Safety of Chinese Medicinal Herbs for the Treatment of Hyperuricemia: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

“…It has been reported that 18.8% of patients with HUE developed gout during a 5-year follow-up period [1]. Studies also show that, in addition to its association with gout, HUE is a strong risk factor for atherosclerosis [2], hypertension [3], and metabolic syndrome [4], which may include obesity, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus [5]. …”