Abstract
Objective: Uric acid is thought to be associated with the occurrence of atherosclerosis, which is closely related to cardio-cerebrovascular disease. However, the present study examined serum uric acid (SUA) and its correlation with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), which is a major issue. The purpose of this paper is to examine serum uric acid concentration and its correlation with carotid artery atherosclerosis according to age and sex groups.Methods: Individuals who underwent physical examinations at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from 2016 to 2020 were selected. The physical examination information of the subjects was recorded, and biochemical indexes such as blood uric acid levels were collected. The intima media thickness of the carotid artery was measured by ultrasound. Using traditional atherosclerosis risk factors as adjustment variables, the association between blood uric acid levels and atherosclerosis was assessed by logistic regression analysis.Results: A total of 15,843 subjects (73.90% male) were included, with an average age of 52±12 (20-92) years. The prevalence of CIMT thickened was 9.51%, and the plaque prevalence was 28.59%. Univariate analysis results showed that there were significant differences in CIMT thickening and plaque occurrence among different SUA level groups in both men and women (P<0.0001). After adjustment for conventional cardiovascular risk factors, increased SUA levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of CIMT thickening (male: ≤220 μmol/L as the reference group, 220-290 μmol/L: OR=1.591, 95% CI: 1.069-2.367; 290-360 μmol/L: OR=1.65, 95% CI: 1.127-2.415;360-430 μmol/L: OR=1.634, 95% CI: 1.116-2.393; >430 μmol/L: OR=1.857, 95% CI: 1.264-2.73;P < 0.05. female: ≤210 μmol/L as the reference group, 260-310 μmol/L: OR=1.419, 95% CI: 1.059-1.901; 310-360 μmol/L: OR=1.432, 95% CI: 1.048-1.957; >360 μmol/L: OR=1.557, 95% CI: 1.113-2.177; P < 0.05). Correlation analysis in each age subgroup showed that CIMT was significantly associated with SUA in men ≥60 years old and women 45-60 years old and ≥60 years old (male: ≤220 μmol/L as the reference group, >430 μmol/L: OR=1.972, 95% CI: [1.2,3.238]. female: ≤210 μmol/L as the reference group, >360 μmol/L (45-60 years old): OR=1.77, 95% CI:[1.107,2.832]; > 360 μmol/L (≥60 years old), OR = 1.65, 95% CI: [1.067, 2.551]. P < 0.05).Conclusions: In both men and women, increased SUA levels are closely associated with thickened CIMT, which is associated with a higher risk of cardio-cerebrovascular disease. The age at which this association was observed in women was lower than in men, and whether this result is due to changes in hormone levels before and after menopause remains to be prospectively studied.
Indicators of the atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype measured with density gradient ultracentrifugation predict changes in carotid intima-media thickness in men and women