Effect of aging on serum uric acid levels: longitudinal changes in a large Japanese population group

BACKGROUND: Serum uric acid (SUA) is related not only to an increased risk of gout, but also to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, real age-related changes in SUA remain unknown. METHODS: Longitudinal population-based study of epidemiological follow-up data of SUA, body mass index (BMI), and alcohol intake was conducted at a health examination center between 1989 and 1998. The subjects were 80,506 Japanese office workers or their families (50,157 men and 30,349 women) with an average age of 44.5 years for the men and 43.7 years for the women. RESULTS: SUA increased with age in all birth cohorts examined in men, and in women except for the youngest birth cohort (1960-1969). BMI and alcohol consumption positively contributed to the longitudinal changes of SUA. However, SUA also increased with age in the model controlled for BMI and alcohol consumption. There were birth cohort effects of SUA; at most ages, there were higher SUA levels in younger cohorts in men and lower SUA levels in younger cohorts in women, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: SUA levels in men and women increased with advancing age, despite changes in drinking and in the BMI. There are birth cohort effects for SUA levels in the Japanese population.