The Association Between Hyperuricemia And Carotid Intima-Media Thickness In Patients With And Without Hypertension

Abstract

Background: Several studies demonstrated that carotid intima-media thickness (C-IMT) is significantly associated with risk for myocardial infarction, stroke, death from coronary artery disease, or a combination of these events. Hyperuricemia is also significan for cardiovascular disease such as hypertension or a coronary risk. However, the association between hyperuricemia and C-IMT have not been clarified. Purpose: Analysis of the relation between hyperuricemia and C-IMT in patients with and without hypertension of an investigation has been carried out at Aljedani Hospital and Ibn Sina National Medical College in the Kingdome of Saudi Arabia from first of March 2009 to 31 August 2009. (Abdelhakem Selem Elsayedcorrespondenceemail, Mansour Mohamad Mostafa, Alshazly Abdelkhalik, Mohey Eldeen A. Eldeeb, Mohammed Shafee Abdulgani, 2010) Material and method: 126 patients were divided into four groups: Group A included 59 hypertensive patients with hyperuricemia. Group B included 28 hypertensive patients without hyperuricemia. Group C included 17 non-hypertensive patients with hyperuricemia Group D, included 21 control subjects non hypertensive with normal uric acid who did not receive any medicine for hyperuricemia or hypertension in their past history. Patients with systolic blood pressure of 220 mm Hg or higher, acute coronary syndrome, stroke, or presence of a major illness such as cancer, liver disease, renal insufficiency and insulin-treated diabetes were excluded from the study. C-IMT was measured by B-mode ultrasound. Uric acid level was assessed for all patients. Result: C-IMT was significantly higher in groups A, B and C than group D (1.0 ± 0.4 mm, 0.92 ± 0.28, 0.91 ± 0.17 and 0.70 ± 0.15, respectively, p < 0,05); especially higher in groups A than B. Uric acid levels in the groups with hyperuricemia (A and C) were positively correlated with C-IMT while there were no correlations in the other two groups without hyperuricemia (B and D). Conclusion: It was observed that C-IMT was higher in hypertensive groups compare with non-hypertensive groups. In hypertensive groups, C-IMT was higher in hypertension with hyperuricemia than without hyperuricemia. In non-hypertensive groups, C-IMT of hyperuricemic group was also higher than non hyperuricemic group. In conclusion, there was a correlative ratio between C-IMT and uric acid in blood serum even in patients without hypertension. Hence, good control of uric acid will assist to reduce cardiovascular risk in hypertensive and non hypertensive patients.