Association between Serum Uric Acid and Liver Enzymes in Adults Aged 20 Years and Older in the United States: NHANES 2005-2012

Hong Lin; Guoyou Dai; Song Huang; Zhaoyang Chen; Zhaohui Jin; Zhiyao He

doi:10.3390/jcm12020648

Association between Serum Uric Acid and Liver Enzymes in Adults Aged 20 Years and Older in the United States: NHANES 2005-2012

J Clin Med. 2023 Jan 13;12(2):648. doi: 10.3390/jcm12020648.

Authors

Hong Lin^{1

2}, Guoyou Dai¹, Song Huang¹, Zhaoyang Chen¹, Zhaohui Jin^{1

3}, Zhiyao He^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
² School of Clinical Medicine, Sichuan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mianyang 621000, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.

Abstract

Although the relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has been widely reported, the relationship between SUA and liver enzymes has rarely been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of SUA levels with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in populations aged 20 years and older in the United States. We analyzed 7165 individuals aged 20 years and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in the United States. Weighted multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the relationship between SUA and ALT and AST. A generalized additive model and a smooth curve fitting were used to observe the linear relationship. SUA was positively correlated with ALT and AST. In addition, the overall increasing trend of ALT and SUA was observed across the SUA quartile groups. In the stratified analysis by sex and race, the SUA levels in male, female, Mexican American, and Non-Hispanic White individuals, and those of another race, were positively correlated with ALT and AST. However, the SUA levels in Non-Hispanic Black individuals had a nonlinear relationship with ALT and AST. In individuals aged 20 years and older in the United States (excluding Non-Hispanic Black individuals), SUA levels were positively associated with ALT and AST. Therefore, with a rise in SUA levels, liver function should be monitored or intervened with in people aged 20 years and older in the United States.

Keywords: alanine aminotransferase; aspartate aminotransferase; liver enzyme; liver function; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; serum uric acid.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China, grant number 2020YFC2008302; the Sichuan Science and Technology program, grant number 2021YFG0136; and the 1.3.5 project for disciplines of excellence—clinical research incubation project, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, grant number 2021HXFH064.