Significance and association of serum uric acid (UA) levels with components of metabolic syndrome (MS) in the elderly

Information concerning the association of serum UA levels and the development of MS in the Chinese aging population is limited. The aims of this study were to investigate age-related metabolic disorders and analyze the relationship between serum UA levels and the components of MS in the elderly. This cross-sectional observational study was performed in subjects from the Department of Health Examination, including 1182 subjects aged ≧65 years; among these subjects, 528 were women (mean age, 70.7 ± 4.8 years) and 654 were men (mean age, 71.4 ± 5.3 years). All the subjects underwent three-dimensional (3-D) whole-body scanning for accurate anthropometric measurements. Data analyses were performed using SPSS software. Results: MS, hyperuricemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (DM) were present in 53.9%, 40.6%, 33.1%, and 30.1% of the subjects, respectively. Univariate statistical analysis showed that age, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, high-density lipoprotein levels, triglyceride levels, WBC count, and related anthropometric indices differed significantly in subjects categorized according to serum UA levels. In conclusion, our study showed that a high percentage of elderly subjects had hyperuricemia. The results showed an association between serum UA levels and cardiovascular risk factors, and this finding warrants concern with regard to the aging population.