Serum uric acid is positively associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure in young adults

Abstract

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Science and Technology Department of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Introduction Uric acid is the final product of purine metabolism, and its increase can be related to excessive production or decreased renal excretion. Serum uric acid (SUA) has been positively and independently associated with inflammatory markers, insulin resistance, and cardiometabolic diseases in observational studies, but causal roles remain unclear.1,2 Purpose The aim of this study is to assess the associations of SUA with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in 22-year-old individuals from a 1993 birth cohort in Brazil. Methods During 1993, all live born babies in the city were invited to take part in a prospective study and sub-samples of this cohort were followed-up since then. At the 22-year follow-up, interviews and clinical measurements were performed and non-fasting blood samples were drawn from the participants. SBP and DBP were obtained calculating the mean of two measurements (at the beginning and the end of the interview) using a blood pressure monitoring device. SUA was evaluated by enzymatic-colorimetric assay. The co-variables taken into consideration were cardiometabolic risk factors (body mass index, glucose, and total cholesterol) and behavioral risk factors (excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and smoking). Sex-stratified linear regressions have been performed and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The sample was composed of 1660 (47.7%) men and 1822 (53.7%) women of approximately 22 years old. Mean (±SD) SUA (mg/dL) was higher in men (5.2 ± 1.2 vs. 3.9 ± 1.1). The same was observed for SBP (mmHg) [131.6 ± 12.3 vs. 116.9 ± 11.0] and DBP (mmHg) [73.8 ± 8.6 vs. 72.4 ± 8.7]. The adjusted linear regression coefficient (95%CI) between SUA and SBP was 0.014 (0.009; 0.019) for men and 0.015 (0.010; 0.019) for women; both with p < 0.001. The adjusted linear regression coefficient (95%CI) between SUA and DBP was 0.03 (0.023; 0.037) for men and 0.021 (0.015; 0.027) for women; both with p < 0.001. Higher tertiles of SBP and DBP were independently associated with higher SUA concentrations in men and women (p < 0.001) (Table). Conclusions In our study, SUA was positively associated with SBP and DBP in men and women independent of potential confounders. This finding reinforces that uric acid is associated with cardiovascular risk factors since early adult age. Abstract Figure.