The Interaction of High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Uric Acid on Obesity in Koreans: Based on the Seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII, 2016∼2018)

Abstract

We used data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) (2016∼2018) to investigate an association between high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and uric acid in the obese. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2 or more, severe obesity as a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more, and morbid obesity as a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or more. In the complex samples multiple logistic regression, despite adjustment by adding major risk factors, the odds ratio (OR) for obesity was higher in the group with high levels of both, hsCRP and uric acid than the reference group at all stages (obesity, OR 1.89, P＜0.001 vs. severe obesity, OR 5.04, P＜0.001 vs. morbid obesity, OR 8.20, P＜0.001). The association between hsCRP and uric acid in obese patients increased from 1.89 to 8.20 as the obesity level increased, suggesting that participants with increased BMI were significantly affected by hsCRP and uric acid. Moreover, the interaction between hsCRP and uric acid was statistically significant even in the model corrected for major confounding factors (P for interaction=0.009).

Keywords

• high sensitivity c-reactive protein
• interaction effect
• obesity
• uric acid