Relationship between serum uric acid, metabolic syndrome and resting heart rate in Chinese elderly

Both serum uric acid (SUA) and resting heart rate (RHR) are positively associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, little is known regarding the relationship between SUA and RHR. We aimed to investigate the relationship between SUA and RHR in the elderly with MetS.

With a retrospective observational analysis, 867 Chinese elderly subjects (437 males and 430 females) were divided into 4 groups according to SUA quartiles. We first investigated the relationship between SUA and MetS. Then we evaluated whether there is an independent association of SUA with RHR in these subjects.

There were significant differences of MetS incidence in groups of Quartile 1-4 in male and female (all P<0.01). Female had higher MtS incidence than male (53.49% versus 43.24%; P=0.003). After adjusting age, sex and diuretics usage, SUA levels intimately correlate with RHR, creatinine, waist-to-height ratio, waist circumference, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and white blood cells (all r>0.30, P<0.05). When RHR exceeded 86bpm, after adjusting for various known risk factors, Odds ratios of concomitant SUA level were 1.243, 1.908, and 2.194 in the second, third, and fourth urate quartile respectively compared to the first quartile. ROC curve analysis demonstrated statistically significant value of RHR for hyperuricemia diagnosis (area under the curve was 0.702 with 95% CI of 0.605-0.791, P=0.000).

The SUA has significant correlation with RHR in MetS. RHR appears to be a potentially detective marker to predict the elevated SUA and cardio-metabolic risk in Chinese elderly.