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Published on: February 2, 2017

Investigation on hyperuricemia in children with obesity or various pediatric disorders

Masaru Kubota1, Ayako Nagai, Li Tang

  • 1Faculty of Human Life and Environment, Nara Women's University, Nara, Japan. mkubota@cc.nara-wu.ac.jp

Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids
|December 3, 2011
PubMed

Insights

This study establishes new serum uric acid (UA) reference values for children and finds hyperuricemia in 19.4% of obese children and 3.7% of sick children, linking it to metabolic syndrome and common illnesses.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Biochemistry
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Serum uric acid (UA) levels are age-dependent, necessitating specific reference values for pediatric populations.
  • Hyperuricemia is a potential risk factor for metabolic and lifestyle-related disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish age-specific reference values for serum uric acid in children.
  • To investigate the frequency and characteristics of hyperuricemia in obese and sick children.
  • To explore the association between hyperuricemia and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in obese children.

Main Methods:

  • Established age-specific serum UA reference values using 328 pediatric samples across six age groups.
  • Defined hyperuricemia as serum UA levels exceeding the mean plus two standard deviations for each age group.
  • Analyzed hyperuricemia prevalence in 1,687 obese children (aged 6-15) and 9,405 sick patients, assessing MetS in the obese cohort.

Main Results:

  • Serum UA levels significantly increased with age, with sex differences noted in older children.
  • Hyperuricemia was identified in 19.4% of obese children, with a higher prevalence of MetS among them (29.9%) compared to those without hyperuricemia (14.5%).
  • Hyperuricemia occurred in 3.7% of sick patients, more frequently in males, with gastroenteritis, respiratory infections, and cardiac diseases being common associated conditions.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides crucial age-specific reference values for childhood serum uric acid.
  • Hyperuricemia is prevalent in both obese and sick children and is associated with metabolic syndrome.
  • Findings highlight the importance of monitoring hyperuricemia in children for potential links to adult lifestyle-related diseases.

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