Serum uric acid is associated with metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease in the Uygur population

The prevalence of hyperuricemia is low in Uygurs, who have a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, overweight-obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance (IR). This study sought to investigate the relationships between serum uric acid (UA) and these risk factors in this population. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Uygurs (859 males, 1268 females) aged 20 to 70 years. Demographic data, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), body mass index (BMI), and fasting and postprandial blood were obtained, and biological measurements were determined. The mean of BMI, SBP, DBP, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), and the prevalence of hypertension, IR, hyperglycemia, overweight-obesity, hypercholesteremia, hyper-LDL-c, and hypertriglyceridemia increased with UA but the prevalence of hypo-HDL-c decreased (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratios for IR, overweight-obesity, hypercholesteremia, hyper-LDL-c, and hypertriglyceridemia against the lowest UA group increased but decreased for hypo-HDL-c (p < 0.05). The UA in the hypo-HDL-c group was lower than that of the controls; the prevalence of hypo-HDL-c in hyperuricemia subjects was lower than in those with normal UA (p < 0.05). But the opposite results were observed between overweight-obesity, hyperglycemia, IR, hypercholesteremia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hyper-LDL-c and correspondence controls, respectively (p < 0.05). In Uygur, elevated UA is associated with overweight-obesity, hypercholesteremia, hyper-LDL-c, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperglycemia, and IR. The HDL-c level significantly increases with UA, whereas the prevalence of hypo-HDL-c decreases. Further studies are needed to clarify why UA is positively correlated to HDL-c.