Relationship between Diabetes and Hyperuricemia in Zakho city – Kurdistan region of Iraq: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to explore the prevalence of hyperuricemia among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and identify associated factors. Methods: A total of 228 adult patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included in this study. Data including demographic characteristics, clinical parameters, and serum uric acid levels were collected from medical records. Patients were categorized into two groups based on uric acid levels: hyperuricemia (≥7 mg/dL for males, ≥6 mg/dL for females) and non-hyperuricemic. Descriptive statistics and unpaired t-tests were utilized for analysis. Results: A total of 228 patient were included (60.53% of them were female), according to standard guidelines hyperuricemia was defined as (≥ 7 mg/dl for male and ≤ 6 mg/dl for female) among them, 39.47% exhibited hyperuricemia. Mean uric acid level was 5.84±2.03. Significant associations were observed between uric acid levels and age (p = 0.0003), marital status (p = 0.0358), duration of diabetes (p = 0.0013), and HbA1c levels (p < 0.0001). However, other factors such as gender, smoking status, family history of diabetes, body mass index, and waist circumference did not show significant associations with uric acid levels. Conclusion: This study highlights a notable prevalence of hyperuricemia among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Factors such as older age, longer duration of diabetes, and poorer glycemic control were associated with higher uric acid levels. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring and managing uric acid levels in diabetic patients to mitigate potential metabolic complications. Further prospective studies are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and clinical implications of this relationship.