Hyperuricemia, hypouricemia linked with greater risk for cardiovascular events in patients with gout
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Hyperuricemia and hypouricemia were linked with an increased risk for cardiovascular events among patients with gout, according to a recently published study that used electronic medical records data.
Margaret Noyes Essex, PharmD, FCCP, and colleagues performed a retrospective analysis using medical records from Humedica of adults with gout and at least one serum uric acid (SUA) level assessment after diagnosis. Researchers measured outcomes 12-months post-diagnosis and excluded patients who had any cardiovascular events before diagnosis. They grouped SUA levels as 0.01 to 4 mg/dL, 4.01 to 6 mg/dL, 6.01 to 8 mg/dL and 8.01 mg/dL or greater. For cardiovascular events, they measured acute myocardial infarction (AMI), congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary artery disease (CAD), a composite of AMI CHF and CAD, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and renal disease.
Researchers found a significantly higher incidence of AMI, CHD and renal disease in patients with an SUA level of 8.01 mg/dL or greater compared with the other three SUA levels. In addition, this SUA group was associated with an increased risk for hypertension (hazard ratio = 1.16) and renal disease (hazard ratio = 2.04). In the 0.01 to 4 mg/dL group, there was a significantly higher incidence of composite cardiovascular events compared with the other levels. Hyperlipidemia was diagnosed concurrently with gout in 24% of patients; whereas, hypertension was concurrently diagnosed in 28%. – by Will Offit
Disclosures: Essex reports she is an employee and shareholder of Pfizer, the study sponsor. Please see the full study for a list of all other relevant financial disclosures.