Study: Hyperuricemia may increase mortality risk for patients with gout, cardiovascular disease

LONDON — Hyperuricemia increased cardiovascular disease mortality risk in patients with gout and existing cardiovascular disease, according to data presented here at the EULAR Annual Congress.

“Even though the contribution of uric acid to the cardiovascular disease process is real, it seems to change over time. This evolving roll has not been well captured by our analysis or by other analyses and will require further research,” Warren Raymond, said.

In a prospective study of 4,171 patients, Raymond and colleagues investigated whether baseline and time-averaged uric acid levels were associated with cardiovascular events and mortality among patients in the in the Busselton Health Study cohort. Follow-up was 15 years, and clinical outcomes included cardiovascular events and mortality as found in state-wide registries.

Raymond said results indicated the prevalence of hyperuricemia in Western Australia was 11%. Overall, hyperuricemia was found in 9.4% of patients without cardiovascular events and in 16.5% of patients with cardiovascular events at baseline. Among the 3,475 patients in the study who did not have cardiovascular events, there was a 0.1 mmol/L increase in uric acid levels, which was associated with increased mortality, cardiovascular mortality and first cardiovascular events after adjustment for age and gender. Gout was found to be a significant independent predictor of mortality only in participants with a history of cardiovascular events at baseline, he said. – by Kristine Houck, MA, ELS

Reference:

Nossent J, et al. Abstract #OP0018. Presented at: EULAR Annual Congress; June 8-11, 2016; London.

Disclosure: Raymond reports no relevant financial disclosures.