An increase in serum uric acid concentrations is associated with an increase in the Framingham risk score in Korean adults

Abstract

Background: Uric acid is a novel cardiovascular disease (CVD) factor, but its use as an independent risk factor for CVD remains controversial. Here, we examined the correlation between Framingham risk score (FRS) and serum uric acid concentrations in asymptomatic Korean adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 8035 Korean adults. Besides FRS, we measured body mass index, fasting blood glucose, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, creatinine, gamma-glutamyltransferase, the lipid profile, uric acid, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, and the white blood cell count. All subjects were placed into one of three risk groups according to their FRS. Results: All CVD related factors were significantly different in the three FRS groups. The increments of uric acid increased significantly FRS from the 10-year risk 0%-9% group to the >10% group after adjusting for other CVD-related factors using ordinal logistic regression analysis. Analyses of the three age groups showed similar effects. Conclusions: An increased uric acid concentration is associated with an increase in coronary heart disease risk calculated from the FRS, and doctors need to pay attention to this CVD risk in apparently healthy adults with hyperuricemia.