[Association of blood uric acid with other cardiovascular risk factors in the male working population in Valencia].

BACKGROUND

Serum uric acid has been reported to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of the present work was to determine the prevalence of hyperuricemia in a large size sample of a healthy male population, as well as the association between uric acid and other cardiovascular risk factors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in a randomly selected sample of 1,564 healthy men in Valencia (Spain), aged 20-67 years, working in the automobile industry. Serum values of uric acid, cholesterol, and glucose were obtained, as well as blood pressure and body mass index measurements. An assessment was made of socio-economic data, drug therapy, and smoking.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of hyperuricemia was 5.10%; it increased with age. A marked increase (p < 0.01) of hyperuricemic individuals was observed with increased prevalence of other cardiovascular risk factors (from 1.8% with hyperuricemia alone up to 28% among individuals with four simultaneous risk factors). By means of a multivariate logistic regression analysis, the OR of hyperuricemia associated with each factor were calculated: increased serum glucose was the variable with a stronger association (OR: 2.69; 95%CI: 1.21-5.99), obesity ranking next (OR: 2.50; 95%CI: 1.42-4.49). Statistically significant associations were also observed for increased serum cholesterol, increased blood pressure, and smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of hyperuricemia varies with the simultaneous presence of other classical cardiovascular risk factors. Even in this healthy mediterranean population, uric acid is significantly associated with several components in the plurimetabolic syndrome.