Interaction between serum uric acid and triglycerides in relation to blood pressure

The aim of this study was to examine the independent relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) and blood pressure, and to assess their joint effects on obesity, fasting glucose and lipids. The study samples were from a community-based health examination survey in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province of China (2009). Blood pressure, body mass index, fasting glucose, lipids and SUA were measured. After excluding individuals with fasting glucose greater than 7 mmol l(-1), a total of 8415 subjects with biomarkers available were included in the present study. Blood pressure increased with elevated SUA levels, after adjusting for age and sex. Further adjustment for fasting glucose, lipids and alcohol consumption did not change the increasing trend. The associations between uric acid and hypertension were most evident in those with highest quintiles of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). In addition, the associations were significant in both men and women, and we found significant interactions between uric acid status and age on hypertension. When the joint effects were examined, we found an additive effect of triglycerides and uric acid levels on diastolic blood pressure (DBP). There was significant association between SUA and hypertension, independent of other metabolic risk factors. HDL-C levels may modify the associations between uric acid and hypertension. The effects of triglycerides and uric acid levels on DBP were additive.