Behaviour of uricemia in hyperlipoproteinemic subjects

When compared to values obtained in 40 normalweight normolipemic healthy control subjects, serum uric acid levels were found to be significantly increased in 68 subjects with type II-b and especially in 68 subjects with type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. A much lesser increase of uricemia occurred in 22 patients with type II-a. A significant positive correlation between uricemia and serum triglyceride level could be demonstrated but no such correlation was found with serum cholesterol. Overweight and hypertensive hyperlipemic subjects were presenting higher levels of serum uric acid than normalweight normotensive ones. On the other hand, clinical atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus had no additive effects upon uricemia in hyperlipoproteinemic patients. It is suggested that hyperinsulinism and accelerated turnover of lipoproteins, often encountered in obese and hypertriglyceridemic subjects, might lead to an enhanced synthesis of purines and subsequently increased production of uric acid.