Social Class Gradient of Serum Uric Acid Levels in Males

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the variability of serum uric acid levels in normal males and to present evidence for a social class gradient as reflected by occupation and education. Executives had a mean serum uric acid level of 5.73 mg% compared with 4.77 mg% for craftsmen. Forty-three per cent of executives had a serum urate value greater than 6.0 mg%. Factors of individual variability, age, disease, and drug ingestion were not responsible for this difference. An association of obesity with elevation of serum urate level was found in both groups. Additional studies on scientists, medical school students, and high school students showed some degree of association of serum urate with intelligence and excellence of all-round performance, but not with social class of family of origin. The factor of achieved social class warrants further investigation.