[Prevalence of hyperuricemia in the elderly in 7 areas of China]

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of hyperuricemia (HUA) in the elderly in China. Methods: A randomized stratified cluster sampling survey was conducted. And 5 376 residents aged ≥60 year in 7 Beijing, Xi'an and Harbin in northern China and Chengdu, Chongqing, Changsha and Shanghai in southern China were surveyed. A unified questionnaire was used to collect their basic information, and blood samples were taken from them to detect the level of plasma uric acid (UA). The differences in hyperuricemia prevalence among different groups were compared with χ(2) test. Results: The mean concentration of plasma UA was 302.8 μmol/L in the elderly surveyed, 329.5 μmol/L in males and 282.7 μmol/L in females, 272.4 μmol/L in rural residents and 315.5 μmol/L in urban residents. Our study showed the prevalence of hyperuricemia was 13.1% in the elderly surveyed. The prevalence of hyperuricemia in women (14.1%) was higher than that in men (12.0%) (P<0.05); and the prevalence of hyperuricemia was higher in urban residents (15.8%) than in rural residents (6.9%) (P<0.01); in southern area (16.0%) than in northern area (11.6%) (P<0.01). Both the plasma UA level and the prevalence of hyperuricemia increased with age in those aged ≥60 years. The average prevalence of hyperuricemia were 9.5%, 11.9%, 14.5%, 16.4% and 21.9% and the plasma UA levels were 287.7, 295.9, 308.1, 311.6 and 323.3 μmol/L respectively in age group ≥60, 65, 70, 75 and 80 years (P<0.01). Conclusion: The result showed that mean concentration of plasma UA was 302.8 μmol/L and the overall prevalence of hyperuricemia was 13.1% in the elderly surveyed in China. The prevalence of hyperuricemia in females was higher than in males, in urban residents than in rural residents and in southern area than in northern area. Both the UA level and prevalence of hyperuricemia increased with age.