Elevated serum uric acid ? a facet of hyperinsulinaemia

Abstract

In a representative sample of the adult Jewish population in Israel (n=1016) excluding known diabetic patients and individuals on antihypertensive medications, serum uric acid showed a positive association with plasma insulin response (sum of 1- and 2-hour post glucose load levels) in both males (r=0.316, pr=0.236, pp<0.001) after accounting by multiple regression analysis for age and major correlates of serum uric acid, i.e. body mass index, glucose response (sum of 1- and 2-hour post load levels), systolic blood pressure and total plasma triglycerides. The net portion of the variance of serum uric acid attributable to insulin response was 12% in males and 8% in females, the total variance accountable by all these variables being 17% and 19% respectively. We conclude that elevated serum uric acid is a feature of hyperinsulinaemia/insulin resistance.