Correlations between Levels of Serum Uric Acid and Parameters of the Metabolic Syndrome

Introduction: The metabolic syndrome is a growing general public health problem all around the world. Component of metabolic syndrome including diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity are closely associated with risk factors defined for cardiovascular diseases. Serum uric acid level has been suggested to be associated with factors that contribute to the metabolic syndrome. This study was aimed at finding correlations between levels of serum uric acid and parameters of the metabolic syndrome among health care workers.

Materials and methods: The participants (60 male, 52 female) were health care workers (doctors, sisters, paramedical staff, and 4th grade workers). Participants were evaluated with relevant history, clinical examination and laboratory investigations.

Results: In this study, prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 28.58% (26.67% in male and 30.77% in female). Out of 112 cases 30.30% of doctors, 29.63% of nurses, 30% of paramedical staff and 25% of forth grade workers had metabolic syndrome. Prevalence of hyperuricemia in male group was 25% and in female it was 15.38% (overall 20.54%) out of which 24.24% of doctors, 11.11% of nurses, 30% of paramedical staff and 18.75% of IV-Grade workers. Waist circumference was found to be significantly associated with serum uric acid among doctors (<0.05) and nurses (<0.001). Systolic blood pressure was found to be significantly associated with serum uric acid among nurses (<0.01) and paramedical staff (<0.001).

Conclusion: All the parameters of Metabolic Syndrome except Serum HDL were found to be significantly correlated with level of serum uric acid level as a whole among the study population.