Serum uric acid is an independent predictor of metabolic syndrome in a Japanese health screening population

Serum levels of uric acid (UA) are associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, no study has been aimed to investigate whether baseline UA is a predictor of MetS in a Japanese population. The multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of MetS through 3 years were calculated for each 1 SD increase in baseline UA, for the higher quartiles of baseline UA compared with the lowest quartile, and for baseline hyperuricemia defined as ≥7.0 mg/dl for men and ≥6.0 mg/dl for women in apparently healthy 1,606 men aged 51.7 ± 9.4 years and 953 women aged 51.6 ± 9.4 years who visited a medical check-up center in Japan. The HRs (95 % confidence interval; p value) were 1.282 (1.097–1.499; 0.002) in men and 1.354 (1.041–1.762; 0.024) in women for 1 SD increase in baseline UA, 2.206 (1.344–3.620; 0.002) in men and 3.110 (1.121–8.627; 0.029) in women for the highest quartile of baseline UA compared with the lowest quartile, and 1.900 (1.376–2.622; <0.001) in men and 2.088 (1.040–4.190; 0.038) in women for baseline hyperuricemia adjusting for the pre-existing components of MetS, age, smoking, drinking, physical activity, use of antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, and antidiabetic medications and histories of coronary heart disease and stroke. However, no significant association was found between longitudinal changes in UA and incident MetS. Baseline UA is an independent predictor of MetS in a Japanese health screening population.