Serum uric acid/creatinine ratio and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease risks in children.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the correlation between serum uric acid/creatinine ratio (SUA/Cr) and Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in children.

METHODS

1387 participants aged 4-15 who underwent health examinations from 1/2020-12/2023 were included. Clinical indicators were compared and analyzed.

RESULTS

Overweight/obese group had elevated levels compared to non-overweight/obese group in male proportion, uric acid (UA), serum uric acid/creatinine ratio (SUA/Cr), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyltransferase(GGT), total protein(TP), albumin(ALB), globulin(GLO), and serum creatinine(SCr) (p < 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test). As SUA/Cr increased, UA, ALT, ALP, TP, GGT levels and the prevalence rates of overweight/obesity rose, while SCr levels fell (p < 0.05, Jonckheere-Terpstra test), and positively related to body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.05). The OR for overweight/obesity increased in higher SUA/Cr quartile groups, as Q3 (OR = 2.399, 95% confidence interval CI = 1.554-3.703) and Q4 (OR = 5.044, 95% CI = 3.281-7.754). The SUA/Cr exhibited an AUC of 0.828 (95% CI = 0.764-0.892, p < 0.001) in predicting overweight/obesity and elevated ALT levels, with a specificity of 0.764 and sensitivity of 0. 805.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with overweight/obesity have higher liver enzymes, and elevated SUA/Cr levels may predict an increased incidence of overweight/obesity and hepatic injury.

IMPACT

This study found a close association between serum uric acid/creatinine ratio (SUA/Cr) and risk factors for Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in children. SUA/Cr may be an indicator of risk factors for MAFLD in children. Elevated SUA/Cr levels may predict an increased incidence of overweight/obesity and hepatic injury. Providing an easily accessible non-invasive biomarker for predicting and preventing MAFLD in children.