Serum uric acid is associated with microalbuminuria and subclinical atherosclerosis in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Hyperuricemia has been reported to be associated with increased risk of renal insufficiency as well as cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between serum uric acid concentration and degree of urinary albumin excretion as well as markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Serum uric acid concentrations were measured in 343 men with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We then evaluated relationships of serum uric acid concentrations to degree of urinary albumin excretion as well as to major cardiovascular risk factors, including age, blood pressure, serum lipid concentration, and glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c). The relationships between serum uric acid concentration and pulse wave velocity or ankle-brachial index (n = 236) and between serum uric acid concentration and carotid intima-media thickness or plaque score (n = 125) were investigated additionally in a subgroup of patients. Serum uric acid concentration correlated positively with logarithm of urinary albumin excretion (r = 0.302, P < .0001). Positive correlation was found between serum uric acid concentration and intima-media thickness (r = 0.233, P = .0087), whereas inverse correlation was found between serum uric acid concentration and ankle-brachial index (r = −0.150, P = .0207). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that serum uric acid concentration (β = .281, P < .0001), duration of diabetes (β = .253, P < .0001), hemoglobin A1c (β = .166, P = .0034), serum triglyceride concentration (β = .125, P = .0472), and systolic blood pressure (β = .275, P = .0013) were independent determinants of logarithm of urinary albumin excretion. In conclusion, serum uric acid concentration is associated with microalbuminuria and subclinical atherosclerosis in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus.