Background: Hyperuricemia is a common and serious public health problem. There has been no broad epidemiological survey of hyperuricemia in China, especially in Tibetan area. This study was therefore investigated the prevalence of hyperuricemia and its correlated factors among people aged 18-85 years in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China.
Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study among 3093 participants in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture using questionnaires in face-to-face interviews, anthropometric measurements and biochemical tests. We included 1416 subjects with complete data including serum uric acid and medical history to analyze the prevalence of hyperuricemia and correlated factors. Hyperuricemia was defined as a fasting serum uric acid level higher than 420 μmol/L in men and 360 μmol/L in women.
Results: The overall crude prevalence of hyperuricemia was 37.2%, and was greater in men than women (41% vs 34.4%, P = 0.011). The age-adjusted prevalence was 33.0%. Characteristics linked to hyperuricemia were farmers-herdsmen (OR: 1.749, 95% CI: 1.022-2.992), low to moderate education level (low OR:1.57, 95% CI: 1.102-2.237; moderate OR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.167-2.963), current drinking (OR: 1.795, 95% CI: 1.193-2.702), hypertension (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.091-2.006), higher body mass index (1 unit increase) (OR: 1.116, 95% CI: 1.077-1.156) and higher serum creatinine (1 unit increase) (OR: 1.046, 95% CI: 1.034-1.059). Serum uric acid was positively related to triglycerides and total cholesterol and negatively related to high density lipoprotein cholesterol in all subjects. Hyperuricemia was a risk factor for high triglyceride ((OR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.156-3.9266) and high total cholesterol (OR: 2.313, 95% CI: 1.364-3.923) in men and for high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR: 2.696, 95% CI: 1.386-5.245) in women.
Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of hyperuricemia in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The government needs to prevent and manage hyperuricemia in this area.
Keywords: Hyperuricemia; Prevalence; Risk; Tibet; Tibetan; Uric acid.