Prevalence of hyperuricemia and its associated factors in the general Korean population: an analysis of a population-based nationally representative sample

Abstract

Hyperuricemia is not only a risk factor for gout but also an independent determinant of hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney diseases. Although the incidence of gout in Korean adults is increasing, epidemiologic studies on hyperuricemia in the general Korean population are limited. Thus, this study aimed at evaluating the prevalence of hyperuricemia and its associated factors among non-institutionalized Korean adults. The present study included 5548 participants (2403 men and 3145 women) aged ≥ 19 years from The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Based on the new 2016 census data, the age-standardized prevalence and mean uric acid level were calculated using the chi-square test and t test, respectively. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the risk factors associated with hyperuricemia. The age-standardized prevalence of hyperuricemia and mean uric acid level in the general Korean population was 11.4% (17.0% in men and 5.9% in women) and 5.1 mg/dL (5.83 mg/dL in men and 4.36 mg/dL in women), respectively. The prevalence of hyperuricemia was high in young Korean adults, and a U-shaped association was observed between hyperuricemia and age. While obesity, metabolic syndrome, renal impairment, and low-grade inflammation were positively associated with hyperuricemia in both sexes, alcohol consumption, education, and current smoking status had a positive association with hyperuricemia only in women. Hyperuricemia is prevalent in the young population in Korea, and special efforts are necessary to reduce the potential harmful effects of hyperuricemia on the health of adults, particularly the younger-generation adults, in Korea.

Hyperuricemia is Associated with Immunoglobulin G N-Glycosylation: A Community-Based Study of Glycan Biomarkers

“…Hyperuricemia plays a key role in the development of gout, which leads to a large proportion of inflammatory arthritis in men (Kim et al, 2018). In addition, hyperuricemia contributes to the occurrence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, kidney injury, and mortality (Chen et al, 2009;Dehghan et al, 2008;Li et al, 2014).…”

“…In addition, hyperuricemia contributes to the occurrence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, kidney injury, and mortality (Chen et al, 2009;Dehghan et al, 2008;Li et al, 2014). The increasing prevalence of hyperuricemia has been recognized as an emerging public health concern in both developed and developing regions (Kim et al, 2018).…”

“…Hyperuricemia not only leads to gout but also paves the way for potential renal damage, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and cardiovascular diseases (Borghi et al, 2015;Dai et al, 2013;Fang and Alderman, 2000;Feig et al, 2008;Keenan et al, 2012;Sluijs et al, 2013;Xu et al, 2017). Along with the high risk of hyperuricemia worldwide (Kim et al, 2018), its prevalence in China has been increasing rapidly, reported from 1.4% to 13.3%, over the past three decades (Chen et al, 1998;Liu et al, 2014Liu et al, , 2015. Hence, the discovery of etiology, determinants, and indicators of hyperuricemia is urgent for handling the burden of hyperuricemia and associated diseases.…”

“…Genetics and dietary factors have been recognized as susceptible elements that contribute enormously to hyperuricemia (Kim et al, 2018;Qiu et al, 2013). On the contrary, posttranslational cellular processes and glycan biomarkers have not been studied extensively for susceptibility to hyperuricemia.…”

Causal effect of alcohol consumption on hyperuricemia using a Mendelian randomization design

“…Hyperuricemia levels vary markedly among individuals and are dependent on genetic, dietary and lifestyle factors including alcohol consumption that regulate renal urate excretion and urate synthesis. Previous studies on the associations between alcohol and other beverages, and hyperuricemia levels or risk of gout have been conducted mostly in Western populations, with some studies from Asian populations . The role of alcohol consumption as a risk factor for hyperuricemia is still unclear due to potential confounding factors.…”