Uric Acid Association with the Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction and Objectives: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) consists of a group of cardiovascular risk factors, highly prevalent worldwide, afflicting an estimated 20 to 25% of the world’s population. There is a probable relationship between serum uric acid (SUA), Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and the MetS but the literature presents conflicting data. Our primary objective was to assess any association between SUA, T2D, MetS, the lipid profile and pre-diabetes (PD).Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective study on 116 patients with T2D, PD or MetS. Patients aged between 18 and 89 years were chosen randomly from private clinics. Data covering personal, socio-economic, health and dietary habits, lab tests, anthropometric measures and medications were collected.Results: The prevalence of T2D and MetS in our group was 74% and 85.9% respectively. The mean SUA level was 4.95 mg/dL±1.45 with males having a higher mean (5.28 mg/dL ±1.26) compared to females (4.56 mg/dL ±1.57). The highest association was found between SUA levels, obesity and insulin levels. No association was found between the levels of SUA and Triglycerides (TG), High Density Lipoproteins (HDL), the Systolic or Diastolic Blood Pressures (BP). The fasting glucose levels were found to be inversely associated with SUA among subjects with the MetS. Fish and shellfish and soft drinks were the food items most associated with SUA levels.Conclusion: In conclusion, we found no direct association between SUA and T2D, the MetS, BP, TG, and HDL. SUA levels were associated with obesity, insulin levels, male gender, and the consumption of fish and shellfish and soft drinks