[Correlation of serum uric acid and islet beta cell functions in female type 2 diabetics]

To examine the correlation of serum uric acid and islet beta cell functions in female type 2 diabetics.

A total of 533 female type 2 diabetics were recruited. And their clinicobiochemical parameters were measured. The levels of acute insulin response (AIR) and acute C-peptide response (ACPR) were measured by a stimulation of arginine. Among them, 262 patients received the examinations of OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test), area under the curve of insulin (AUC-insulin) and C peptide (AUC-C peptide). Serum uric acid > 360 µmol/L was defined as hyperuricemia.

The serum uric acid levels of the hyperuricemia and control groups were (430 ± 8) and (248 ± 3) µmol/L respectively. The AIR, ACPR, AUC-insulin and AUC-C peptide levels were significantly higher in the hyperuricemia group than those in the control group (P < 0.01). There was a significant positive correlation between serum uric acid and AIR, ACPR, AUC-insulin and AUC-C peptide (r = 0.194, P < 0.01; r = 0.146, P < 0.01; r = 0.307, P < 0.01 and r = 0.420, P < 0.01). The serum levels of uric acid were significantly different between tertile groups of AIR (260 ± 7), (264 ± 8), (302 ± 7) µmol/L, ACPR ((263 ± 8), (271 ± 7), (296 ± 7) µmol/L), AUC-insulin ((241 ± 10), (279 ± 10), (301 ± 8) µmol/L) and AUC-C peptide ((229 ± 8), (265 ± 9), (326 ± 10) µmol/L, P < 0.01). Multivariate linear regression demonstrated that the serum level of uric acid were associated with AIR (β = 0.002, 95%CI 0.0010 - 0.0030, P < 0.01), ACPR (β = 0.001, 95%CI 0.0002 - 0.0020, P = 0.02), AUC-insulin (β = 0.002, 95%CI 0.0004 - 0.0030, P < 0.01) and AUC-C peptide (β = 0.003, 95%CI 0.0020 - 0.0030, P < 0.01) after an adjustment of related risk factors.

The serum level of uric acid is significantly correlated with AIR, ACPR, AUC-insulin and AUC-C peptide in female type 2 diabetics. And it may be an independent risk factor of predicting islet beta cell functions in female type 2 diabetics.