Prevalence of Hyperuricemia Among Chinese Adults: Findings From Two Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Surveys in 2015–16 and 2018–19

Abstract

ObjectiveTo determine the nationwide prevalence of hyperuricemia in China and evaluate its trends and associated risk factors.MethodsUsing a multi-stage, stratified, cluster-randomized sampling design, two cross-sectional surveys (representative of national and provincial information) were conducted in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in mainland China, with 166, 861 Chinese adults in 2015–16 and 168, 351 in 2018–19. Serum uric acid (SUA) levels of all participants were measured after a >10-hour overnight fast. Hyperuricemia (HUA) was defined when SUA was >420 μmol/L. Prevalence estimates were weighted to represent the total population considering the complex sampling design. Multivariable logistic regression models was used to estimate factors associated with HUA.ResultsThe overall hyperuricemia prevalence in the Chinese adult population was 11.1% (95% confidence interval 10.3% to 11.8%) in 2015–16 and 14.0% (13.1% to 14.8%) in 2018–19; an alarming rise was observed in the three years. Hyperuricemia was more common in men with 19.3% (17.9% to 20.7%) in 2015–16 and 24.4% (23.0% to 25.8%) in 2018–19, although the prevalence also escalated from 2.8% (2.5% to 3.0%) in 2015–16 to 3.6% (3.2% to 4.0%) in 2018–19 in women. The hyperuricemia risk factors include the urban culture, settlement in the East, Zhuang descent, high education, heavy or frequent beer drinking, high red meat intake, physical inactivity, high body mass index, central obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and low glomerular filtration rate.ConclusionThe estimated hyperuricemia prevalence among Chinese adults was 14.0% in 2018-19; significant escalating trends were observed between 2015-16 and 2018-19.

Association Between Serum Uric Acid Levels and Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Xiamen Residents of China: A Real-World Study

“…In Jiangsu adults, the prevalence of hyperuricemia was 13.3% (16.9% in men and 10.3% in women) in 2015 ( 19 ). According to our real-world study, the prevalence of hyperuricemia was 32.6% (34.0% in men and 31.6% in women) among Xiamen population ( Table 1 ), which was higher than that in eastern Chinese population in 2015 and in Chinese adults in 2018–2019 ( 17 – 19 ). Changes in lifestyle, eating habits and environmental factors are attributed to the development of hyperuricemia ( 20 ).…”

“…The estimated prevalence of hyperuricemia among Chinese adults was 8.4% in 2009–2010 and 14.0% in 2018–2019 ( 16 , 17 ). In Shanghai population, the prevalence of hyperuricemia was 17.2% (22.2% in men and 10.8% in women) in 2015 ( 18 ).…”

Dietary Ferulic Acid Ameliorates Metabolism Syndrome-Associated Hyperuricemia in Rats via Regulating Uric Acid Synthesis, Glycolipid Metabolism, and Hepatic Injury

“…In the past few decades, the incidence of HUA has been successively rising worldwide. According to epidemiological surveys, the prevalence of HUA in Chinese adults remarkably rises from 8.4% in 2009–2010 to 14.0% in 2018–2019, and also more than 20.0% from 2007 to 2016 in United States ( 7 , 8 ). Although the serum UA level is not a diagnostic criterion for MetS, longitudinal studies have demonstrated that HUA is closely associated with the development of MetS and its components, and there is a bidirectional relationship between them ( 9 , 10 ).…”

Traditional Chinese herbs and natural products in hyperuricemia-induced chronic kidney disease

“…With the improvement of the economic level and the change in people’s lifestyle and dietary structure, the global incidence and prevalence of hyperuricemia tend to increase steadily. Based on the findings from two nationally representative cross-sectional surveys in 2015–16 and 2018–19, the estimated prevalence of hyperuricemia among Chinese adults is 11.1% ( Zhang et al, 2021 ).…”