Serum uric acid to creatinine ratio is a useful predictor of renal dysfunction among diabetic persons

Serum uric acid (SUA) has been shown to be a predictor of renal disease progression in most but not all studies. This study aims to test whether renal function-normalized SUA {i.e, SUA/creatinine (Cr) ratio} is a predictor of decreased renal function among diabetic patients.

The subjects comprised 185 men aged 72 ± 11 (mean ± standard deviation) years and 175 women aged 77 ± 10 years from a rural hospital. We examined the relationship between SUA/creatinine (Cr) ratio and renal function evaluated by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study Group equation.

Annual eGFR decline rate was significantly increased with increased tertile of baseline SUA/Cr ratio (p = 0.011), and prevalence of the rapid progression types (≥3.0 ml/min/1.73 m²/year) was significantly higher in the second and third tertile (≥7,21) of baseline SUA/Cr ratio than the first tertile (<5.86) (p = 0.032). Pearson's correlation coefficient showed that baseline SUA/Cr ratio (r = 0.136, p = 0.012) as well as systolic blood pressure (SBP) and SUA were significantly correlated with annual eGFR decline rate. Multiple regression analysis using annual eGFR decline rate as an objective variable, adjusted for confounding factors as explanatory variables, showed that baseline SUA/Cr ratio (β = 0.334, p < 0.001) as well as gender and SBP were significantly and independently associated with annual eGFR decline rate. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence interval) of the baseline tertile of the SUA/Cr ratio for rapid progression of annual eGFR decline rate were 1.0, 3.15 (1.66-5.95) and 3.19 (1.57-6.51), respectively.

Our data demonstrated that baseline SUA/Cr ratio was independently and significantly associated with future renal function decline among diabetic patients.