Prevalence of and trends in hyperuricemia by race and ethnicity among US adolescents, 1999–2018

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Our objective was to ascertain the most recent prevalence and trends of hyperuricemia among adolescents, stratified by sex and race/ethnicity subgroups, as well as to investigate potential risk factors associated with hyperuricemia in US adolescents. Methods Data were obtained from adolescents aged 12–17 years in the 1999–2018 NHANES cycles. Hyperuricemia for adolescents was defined as ≥ 5.5 mg/dL. The prevalence of hyperuricemia, along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), was calculated for each four-year survey cycle, stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), poverty income ratio (PIR), and parental education levels. Linear regression and logistic regression analyses were conducted independently to evaluate the linear trends in mean serum urate levels and the prevalence of hyperuricemia across the four-year cycles. Utilizing NHANES data from 2011 to 2018, we identified factors associated with mean serum urate levels and hyperuricemia through the application of linear regression and Poisson regression analyses. Results A total of 11 264 participants were included in the analysis. In 2015–2018, the overall hyperuricemia prevalence was 32.78%, 50.7% in males, and 13.51% in females. No significant trends were identified in the prevalence of hyperuricemia from 1999 to 2002 to 2015–2018. Between 2011 and 2018, hyperuricemia was significantly more prevalent among males compared to females (prevalence ratio [PR], 3.50 [95% CI, 2.83–4.33]), non-Hispanic Asians compared to non-Hispanic Whites (PR, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.04–1.53]), and individuals with overweight (PR, 1.63 [95% CI, 1.32–2.01]) or obesity (PR, 2.45 [95% CI, 2.08–2.88]) compared to those of normal weight. There was a stronger correlation between obesity and hyperuricemia among females (PR, 4.77 [95% CI, 3.08–7.39]) than in males (PR, 2.06 [95% CI, 1.82–2.34]). Furthermore, non-Hispanic Black adolescents with obesity exhibited higher PRs (PR, 3.40 [95% CI, 2.54–4.55]) for hyperuricemia in comparison to other ethnic groups. Conclusions This study has updated recent trends in hyperuricemia by sex and race/ethnicity among US adolescents. Our results suggest that hyperuricemia has a significant association with greater obesity in US adolescents, and the degree of correlation varies by sex and race/ethnicity.

Keywords

• Adolescents
• Hyperuricemia
• Epidemiology
• NHANES
• Obesity