Serum uric acid level in newly diagnosed essential hypertension in a Nepalese population: A hospital based cross sectional study

Abstract

Objective: To develop the missing link between hyperuricemia and hypertension. Methods: The study was conducted in Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with Nephrology Unit of Internal Medicine Department. Hypertension was defined according to blood pressure readings by definitions of the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee. Totally 205 newly diagnosed and untreated essential hypertensive cases and age-sex matched normotensive controls were enrolled in the study. The potential confounding factors of hyperuricemia and hypertension in both cases and controls were controlled. Uric acid levels in all participants were analyzed. Results: Renal function between newly diagnosed hypertensive cases and normotensive healthy controls were adjusted. The mean serum uric acid observed in newly diagnosed hypertensive cases and in normotensive healthy controls were (290.05±87.05) μmol/L and (245.24±99.38) μmol/L respectively. A total of 59 (28.8%) participants of cases and 28 (13.7%) participants of controls had hyperuricemia (odds ratio 2.555 (95% CI: 1.549–4.213), P<0.001). Conclusions: The mean serum uric acid levels and number of hyperuricemic subjects were found to be significantly higher in cases when compared to controls.

Keywords

• Newly diagnosed hypertension
• Serum uric acid
• Hyperuricemia
• Joint National Committee