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Hyperuricemia associated with high cardiac event rates in the elderly with chronic heart failure

Takeshi Niizeki1, Yasuchika Takeishi, Takanori Arimoto

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Nephrology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Yamagata. takeishi@med.id.yamagata-u.ac.jp

Journal of Cardiology
|June 13, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Serum uric acid levels can predict cardiac events in elderly patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Higher uric acid levels are associated with increased risk, offering a simple prognostic marker for this population.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Cardiology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a leading cause of mortality and hospitalization in the elderly.
  • Identifying cost-effective prognostic markers for elderly CHF patients is crucial for risk stratification.
  • Previous research suggests hyperuricemia may be a prognostic indicator for CHF.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize elderly CHF patients (>=70 years) in the study institution.
  • To evaluate the prognostic value of serum uric acid levels in predicting cardiac events in the elderly CHF population.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of uric acid levels in 247 CHF patients.
  • Follow-up duration of 451 +/- 235 days.
  • Multivariate Cox proportional hazard modeling and Kaplan-Meier analysis were employed.

Main Results:

  • Elderly patients (>=70 years) exhibited higher rates of hypertension, lower smoking rates, and elevated uric acid levels compared to younger patients.
  • Uric acid was the sole independent predictor of cardiac events (HR 1.544, p < 0.0001).
  • The highest quartile of uric acid was linked to a 4.45-fold increased risk of cardiac events compared to the lowest quartile.

Conclusions:

  • Serum uric acid measurement provides valuable prognostic information for elderly CHF patients.
  • Uric acid levels can effectively stratify risk and predict cardiac events in this demographic.
  • This simple biomarker may aid in managing high-risk elderly individuals with CHF.
Abstract

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