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Association of serum uric acid with cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis

V F Panoulas1, H J Milionis, K M J Douglas

  • 1Department of Rheumatology, Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust, Russells Hall Hospital, Pensnett Road, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 2HQ, UK.

Rheumatology (Oxford, England)
|July 24, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) is linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, even after accounting for traditional risk factors. Higher SUA levels significantly increase the odds of CVD in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Rheumatology
  • Cardiology
  • Metabolic Disorders

Background:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients face higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks.
  • Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) is a known CVD risk factor in the general population.
  • The association between SUA and CVD in RA patients is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between SUA levels and CVD in RA patients.
  • To determine if SUA is an independent predictor of CVD in RA, independent of traditional risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 400 RA patients.
  • Assessment of traditional CVD risk factors and SUA levels.
  • Bivariate correlations and binary logistic regression models were used.

Main Results:

  • SUA levels were significantly higher in RA patients with CVD (5.68 mg/dL) versus those without (5.06 mg/dL).
  • After adjusting for CVD risk factors, the association between SUA and CVD remained significant (OR=1.36).
  • The highest SUA quintile showed a 6-fold increased odds of CVD compared to the lowest quintile (aOR=6.46).

Conclusions:

  • Serum uric acid may be an independent risk factor for CVD in RA patients.
  • Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Abstract

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