Relationship between serum uric acid and sarcopenia in geriatric heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction

Abstract

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) presents a serious risk to human health. The increased prevalence of sarcopenia in the HFpEF population has a negative impact on patient prognosis. Uric acid (UA) is the byproduct of purine metabolism and is harmful to the cardiovascular system. This study aims to establish the potential relationship between sarcopenia and serum UA in HFpEF patients. Methods: Data were obtained from 180 individuals (aged ≥60 years) with HFpEF admitted to the Geriatric Department of Jiangsu Province Hospital between January 2021 and December 2022. The UA values were grouped into 4 quartiles (Q1-Q4). Logistic generalized linear models and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression were used to analyze the relationship between sarcopenia and UA. Subgroups based on gender were utilised for further analysis. Results: After adjusting for covariates, odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for sarcopenia prevalence in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quartiles were 2.56 (0.57–12.65), 4.94 (1.10–24.49), and 6.95 (1.30–44.25), respectively, unlike the 1st quartile (P for trend = 0.022). The RCS plot demonstrated a positive linear relationship between serum UA levels and sarcopenia (P for non-linearity = 0.190). A sex-based subgroup analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between UA and sarcopenia in males (P < 0.05). Conclusions: In summary, the prevalence of sarcopenia is positively related to serum UA levels among the elderly diagnosed with HFpEF. Due to the cross-sectional nature of the study design, additional investigations are necessary to validate our findings and identify the optimal range for UA reduction.

Keywords

• Sarcopenia
• Uric acid
• Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
• Elderly population