Nonlinear relationship between body mass index and serum uric acid: An observational and Mendelian randomization study among Chinese adults

Background and aims: Conflicting evidence exists on the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and serum uric acid (SUA), and importantly, the causal role of BMI in SUA remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the BMI-SUA relationship and its causality among Chinese adults using observational and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. Methods and results: Study included 6641 adults from East China. A genetic risk score based on 14 BMI-associated East Asian variants was formulated. One-sample MR and non-linear MR analyses assessed the causal link between BMI_GRS and SUA levels. Mean BMI levels were 24.8 (SD 3.4) and 24.3 (SD 3.6) kg/m(2) in men and women, respectively. Spline models revealed gender-specific BMI-SUA associations: a reverse J-shape for men and a J-shape for women (P-values for nonlinearity <0.05). In men, BMI showed a positive correlation with SUA levels when BMI was below 29.6 kg/m(2) (beta coefficient 19.1 [95 % CI 15.1, 23.0] mmol/L per 1-SD increase in BMI), while in women, BMI exhibited a negative correlation with SUA levels when the BMI was less than 21.7 kg/m(2) (beta coefficient -12.9 [95 % CI -21.6, -4.1] mmol/L) and a positive correlation when BMI exceeded 21.7 kg/m(2) (beta coefficient 13.3 [95 % CI 10.9, 15.8] mmol/L). Furthermore, MR analysis suggested non-linear BMI-SUA link in women but not men. Conclusion: Our study indicates a non-linear correlation between BMI and SUA in both genders. It is noteworthy that in women, this correlation may have a causal nature. Nevertheless, further longitudinal investigations are required to authenticate our findings. (c) 2023 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.