Uric acid levels and heart failure: A mendelian randomization study

Abstract

Background and aimsUric acid, the end-product of purine metabolism within the human body, has been the subject of studies exploring its potential association with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, the precise relationship between uric acid levels and heart failure remains elusive. Methods and resultsIn this particular study, aggregated data from genome-wide association studies on uric acid and heart failure were utilized to perform a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis utilizing R software. The aim was to uncover any causal link between these variables. The primary outcome was assessed using inverse variance weighted (IVW) methodology, while sensitivity analyses employed MR-Egger, weighted median (WME), and MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) techniques. IVW results revealed a possible causal relationship between elevated uric acid levels and an increased risk of heart failure (OR: 1.09, 95 % CI: 1.01–1.17, P < 0.05). Encouragingly, the directions provided by MR-Egger and WME aligned with IVW findings, and no anomalies were detected in the remaining sensitivity analyses. ConclusionThese outcomes indicate the stability of the results of the study, thereby suggesting that heightened uric acid levels may contribute to an augmented risk of heart failure.