Serum uric acid and leptin levels in metabolic syndrome: a quandary over the role of uric acid
Introduction
Serum uric acid (UA) is an important factor in cardiovascular events, but its role in metabolic syndrome is controversial [1], [2]. Factors such as age group, ethnic population, and sex illustrate the importance of serum UA levels in metabolic syndrome [3], [4]. Genetic characteristics, body mass structure, aging, and renal disposal ability influence serum UA levels. A recent familial clustering study of metabolic syndrome showed a significant genetic correlation between UA and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglyceride (Tg), and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 antigen [5]. The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of UA on various risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome. In addition, we examined the relationship between serum leptin levels and UA in metabolic syndrome in Chinese subjects affected by insulin resistance.
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Subjects
A total of 470 subjects, including 252 women (mean age ± SD, 53.7 ± 12.2 years) and 218 men (mean age ± SD, 54.6 ± 13.5 years), were randomly selected from the health examination unit of the Chang Gung Medical Center in Linkou, Taiwan. All of the subjects were Chinese residents of Taiwan. Blood tests, body scanning, and evaluation of anthropometric measurements were performed on all subjects.
Metabolic syndrome definition
Blood pressure levels were classified according to the 1999 World Health Organization-International
Metabolic parameter values in study subjects
Of the 470 subjects, 115 (63 females and 52 males) (24.5%) were diagnosed as having metabolic syndrome. Forty-five (9.6%) subjects were diagnosed as having DM; 82 (17.4%) had hypertension. Hyperuricemia was identified in 144 subjects (30.6%), 30.7% (67/218) of the male subjects and 30.6% (77/252) of the female subjects. The incidence of hypertension, DM, central obesity, as well as the values of leptin level, HOMA-IR, IRI, UA, and BMI are shown in Fig. 1. The incidence of hypertension and DM
Discussion
Insulin resistance estimated using HOMA-IR is the main factor to consider in the development of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular complications [13]. This study confirmed the importance of HOMA-IR as a risk factor of metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, in the present study, subjects with hyperuricemia had a higher HOMA-IR. Analysis of subcutaneous fat obesity and visceral fat obesity by computed tomographic scan showed that visceral fat obesity is linked more closely to the overproduction of
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