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Carotid intima-media thickness in patients with hyperuricemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Li-Hui Peng1, Yue He2, Wang-Dong Xu3
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 1 Xianglin Road, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
Insights
Hyperuricemia is linked to increased carotid intima-media thickness, a marker of cardiovascular disease risk. This meta-analysis confirms this association, suggesting hyperuricemia patients may face higher cardiovascular event risks.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Vascular Biology
- Metabolic Diseases
Background:
- Cardiovascular events pose significant risks for hyperuricemia patients.
- The precise role of serum uric acid in cardiovascular disease remains debated.
- Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is an indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between hyperuricemia and carotid intima-media thickness.
- To compare CIMT in individuals with and without hyperuricemia through a meta-analysis.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted using data from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science databases.
- Standard mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to assess CIMT differences.
- Sensitivity, subgroup, and meta-regression analyses were performed to address heterogeneity and publication bias.
Main Results:
- Eight studies were included, revealing a significant increase in CIMT in hyperuricemia groups compared to controls (SMD = 0.264, 95% CI [0.161-0.366], P < 0.001).
- Subgroup and meta-regression analyses did not identify significant sources of heterogeneity among factors like age, BMI, blood pressure, smoking, or diabetes.
- Publication bias was assessed and found to be non-significant (Begg's test P = 0.174).
Conclusions:
- Hyperuricemia is associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness.
- This finding suggests that individuals with hyperuricemia may have an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- Further research may elucidate the mechanisms linking hyperuricemia to vascular changes.
Objective:
Despite the high incidence and mortality of cardiovascular events in hyperuricemia patients, the role of serum uric acid in cardiovascular diseases is still controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to explore the difference of carotid intima-media thickness in hyperuricemia and control groups.
Methods:
We performed this meta-analysis by searching the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Web of Science databases up to July 2020. The 95% confidence intervals and standard mean differences were calculated to analyze the differences in carotid intima-media thickness in hyperuricemia groups and control groups. Sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to explore the sources of heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated by funnel plot and Begg's regression test. We used Stata 14.0 software to complete our analyses.
Results:
A total of 8 articles were included. The results showed that there was a significant increase in carotid intima-media thickness in the hyperuricemia groups compared with the control groups [SMD = 0.264, 95% CI (0.161-0.366), P < 0.001]. Subgroup analyses showed that age, sample size, blood pressure and body mass index were not the source of heterogeneity. Meta-regression enrolled the method of CIMT measurement, location, age, smoking and diabetes mellitus as categorical variables, but none of these factors was found to be significant in the model. The Begg's test value (P = 0.174) was greater than 0.05, indicating there was no publication bias.
Conclusion:
The results showed that carotid intima-media thickness was increased in hyperuricemia patients compared with controls, which indicated that hyperuricemia patients may have a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases.
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