Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Uric acid is an inflammatory factor and may have a role in endothelial dysfunction and act as a mediator of diabetic nephropathy. Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular events and renal insufficiency in diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between serum uric acid concentration and level of urinary albumin excretion as well as markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in 120 patients with T2D without a history of gout. Serum uric acid and urinary albumin-creatinine ratio were determined. The relationships between serum uric acid concentration and carotid intima-media thickness or plaque score were investigated additionally in these patients. Other metabolic parameters including lipid profile, hemoglobin A1c, glomerular filtration rate, body mass index, blood pressure, blood glucose.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 58.45 ± 10.11 years old. Serum uric acid levels for normoalbuminuric, microalbuminuric, and macroalbuminuric patients were 4.44 ± 1.17 mg/dl, 4.97 ± 1.68 mg/dl, and 7.27 ± 1.08 mg/dl, respectively. Serum uric acid level correlated positively with urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (P = 0.04). Positive correlation was found between serum uric acid concentration and intima-media thickness (r = 0.233, P =.0087).There was a significant relationship between hyperuricemia and serum triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, glomerular filtration rate, and serum creatinine levels (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Serum uric acid concentration is associated with microalbuminuria and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. So, we conclude that serum uric acid plays a role in diabetic nephropathy as well as in cardiovascular eventsin T2D.

Keywords: diabetes, uric acid, proteinuria, atherosclerosis.