Prevalence and Metabolic Factors of Hyperuricemia in an Elderly Agricultural and Fishing Population in Taiwan
Qian YU1,2, Hsi-che SHEN3,4, Yi-chun HU4, Yu-fen CHEN5, Tao-hsin TUNG6,7
1Department of Foot Science, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
2Department of Pharmacy, School of Biomedicine Sciences, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou, China
3Department of Healthcare Management, Yuanpei University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
4Department of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
5Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
6Department of Medical Research and Education,Cheng-hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
7Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Keywords: Agricultural and fishing population; elderly; hyperuricemia; prevalence; sex difference
Abstract
Objectives: This study aims to explore the potential condition-related sex differences to understand the overall pathogenesis of hyperuricemia among the elderly agricultural and fishing population in Taipei, Taiwan.
Patients and methods: This study included 4,372 healthy elderly agricultural and fishing professionals (2,766 males, 1,606 females; mean age 74.4±6.6 years; range 65.0 to 90.3 years) voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital in Taipei, Taiwan for physical exams in 2010. Their fasting blood samples were drawn through venipuncture, and they were administered a structured questionnaire by clinical nurses.
Results: The overall prevalence of hyperuricemia was 30.4%, which increased significantly with increasing age (p<0.001). The prevalence was similar in males (30.2%) and females (30.6%) (p=0.78). Age, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia as well as low high- density lipoprotein and high blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and alanine amino transferase levels were significantly associated with hyperuricemia. Hypercholesterolemia (odds ratio [OR]=1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-2.50) and high creatinine levels (OR=3.75, 95% CI: 2.64-5.33) were significantly associated with hyperuricemia in males, whereas type 2 diabetes (OR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.22–1.93) and high alanine amino transferase levels (OR=1.79, 95% CI: 1.31-2.43) were significantly associated with hyperuricemia in females. Hyperuricemia disparity among age groups was also revealed.
Conclusion: Several sex-related differences with regard to factors including age, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein, high blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and alanine amino transferase levels were indicated in the prevalence of hyperuricemia in this specific elderly population.
The authors certify full disclosure of all affiliations or financial involvements with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript, within the past five years and in the foreseeable future (e.g., employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, and royalties).
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.