Risk Predictors of High Uric Acid Levels Among Patients with Type-2 Diabetes

Zobeida Eljaaly; Muhammad Mujammami; Shaik Sarfaraz Nawaz; Mohamed Rafiullah; Khalid Siddiqui

doi:10.2147/DMSO.S344894

Risk Predictors of High Uric Acid Levels Among Patients with Type-2 Diabetes

Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2021 Dec 24:14:4911-4920. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S344894. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Zobeida Eljaaly^#^{1

2}, Muhammad Mujammami^#^{1

2

3}, Shaik Sarfaraz Nawaz³, Mohamed Rafiullah³, Khalid Siddiqui³

Affiliations

¹ University Diabetes Center, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
² Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
³ Strategic Center for Diabetes Research, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Objective: Patients with diabetes are at higher risk of the negative consequences of hyperuricemia. The objective of this study was to investigate gender and age-specific differences in the uric acid levels and to evaluate the associated risk factors among patients with diabetes.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Strategic Center for Diabetes Research from September 2019 to January 2020, among adult type-2 diabetic patients. Serum uric acid (SUA) and several other metabolic and clinical parameters were examined. Multiple regression analysis was done to identify risk factors independently associated with hyperuricemia.

Results: A total of 433 patients were included in the analysis. SUA level was higher in males than females (5.82±1.65 mg/dL versus 5.29±1.54 mg/dL, p < 0.001). The prevalence of hyperuricemia was higher in females than males (28.8% versus 20.5%, p = 0.049). There was no significant difference in uric acid levels or the prevalence of hyperuricemia by age groups in the total sample or gender-stratified samples. In multivariate analysis, hyperuricemia was associated with bigger hip circumference (odds ratios [OR] were 1.03, 95% CI = 1.01-1.05), higher triglycerides (OR = 1.005, 95% CI = 1.002-1.008), and higher serum creatinine (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.21-1.49). Hip circumference, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and serum creatinine were independent risk factors in males, while triglycerides and higher serum creatinine were independent risk factors among females.

Conclusion: The present study demonstrates gender-specific differences in the uric acid levels and hyperuricemia prevalence. In males and females, hyperuricemia was associated with hip circumference, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and serum creatinine. Future large studies are needed to confirm our findings, especially in elderly females.

Keywords: Saudi Arabia; diabetes; gender; hyperuricemia; risk factors; uric acid.

Grants and funding

This research has received financial support from the University Diabetes Center, King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), King Saud University for consumable for this study. The authors had full responsibility for data collection, data interpretation and writing of the report. The funding source had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, writing of the report or the decision to submit for publication.