Uric acid concentration in subjects at risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: relationship to components of the metabolic syndrome

High uric acid concentration is a common finding in subjects with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including some characteristics of the metabolic syndrome. However, its exact role in this setting and in the progression to type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is not well understood and could be affected by confounding factors such as hypertriglyceridemia. Our study aimed to establish the relationship between uric acid (avoiding the interference of high triglyceride levels), insulin sensitivity, and components of the metabolic syndrome in a group of subjects at high risk of developing DM. Among 201 subjects included in the study, 111 (55.2%) showed an abnormal oral glucose tolerance and uric acid levels higher than those measured in subjects with normal glucose tolerance. Body mass index (BMI), triglycerides, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and 2-hour glycemia in the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) contributed independently to uric acid concentration (R2 =.59). However, uric acid did not affect either insulin sensitivity or glucose tolerance. The recovery tests revealed that a triglyceride concentration > or = 3 mmol/L interfered with the measurement of uric acid level when a colorimetric method was used, but not when a dry-chemistry method was used. In conclusion, uric acid concentration is higher in subjects at high risk of DM with abnormal glucose tolerance and is independently determined by various components of the metabolic syndrome.