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

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to explore the potential condition-related sex differences to understand the overall pathogenesis of hyperuricemia among the elderly agricultural and fishing population in Taipei, Taiwan.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study included 4,372 healthy elderly agricultural and fishing professionals (2,766 males, 1,606 females; mean age 74.4±6.6 years; range 65.0 to 90.3 years) voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital in Taipei, Taiwan for physical exams in 2010. Their fasting blood samples were drawn through venipuncture, and they were administered a structured questionnaire by clinical nurses.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of hyperuricemia was 30.4%, which increased significantly with increasing age (p<0.001). The prevalence was similar in males (30.2%) and females (30.6%) (p=0.78). Age, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia as well as low high- density lipoprotein and high blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and alanine amino transferase levels were significantly associated with hyperuricemia. Hypercholesterolemia (odds ratio [OR]=1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-2.50) and high creatinine levels (OR=3.75, 95% CI: 2.64-5.33) were significantly associated with hyperuricemia in males, whereas type 2 diabetes (OR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.22-1.93) and high alanine amino transferase levels (OR=1.79, 95% CI: 1.31-2.43) were significantly associated with hyperuricemia in females. Hyperuricemia disparity among age groups was also revealed.

CONCLUSION

Several sex-related differences with regard to factors including age, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein, high blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and alanine amino transferase levels were indicated in the prevalence of hyperuricemia in this specific elderly population.