Hyperuricemia and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Working-aged Population Part 1

: Its Prevalence, Treatment, and Relationship with Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Abstract

　Background: Hyperuricemia in working-aged people in Japan is thought to have undergone major changes with the westernization of the dietary habits of its population.

　Objectives and Methods: A total of 4544 employees were enrolled in the study. Levels of hyperuricemia with or without treatment and their relationship with work category were investigated, as was their association with other cardiovascular risk factors such as age, BMI, blood pressure, HbA1c, LDL-C, and eGFR.

　Results: 1) The mean uric acid level was 5.9 ± 1.2 mg/dL, and there was no difference between age groups. Hyperuricemia (＞ 7.0 mg/dL) was observed in almost 19％ of workers in all categories; the percentage of train operators with extremely high uric acid levels ( ＞ 8.0 mg/dL; 5.1％) was significantly higher than that among engineers, however (3.0％ ; p ＜ 0.05). 2) The eGFR was significantly lower in the hyperuricemia group than in the normal uric acid group (p ＜ 0.001). There was also a significant positive correlation between uric acid and BMI (r ＝ 0.23) and a significant negative correlation between uric acid and eGFR (r＝－ 0.24) in the notreatment group; these correlations were not found in the under-treatment group, however. 3) There were no significant differences in terms of comorbidity among uric acid levels, except for diabetes mellitus, which was significantly less frequent in the no-treatment high uric acid group. In the under-treatment group, on the other hand, hypertension, dyslipidemia, chronic kidney disease, and liver dysfunction were found frequently. 4) Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only hypertension and chronic kidney disease were independent risk factors for hyperuricemia.

　Conclusion: Hyperuricemia is closely associated with other cardiovascular risk factors and influenced by occupation and treatment. Measures to promote the health of employees based on the results of the present study are urgently needed.