Relationship between uric acid levels and impaired glucose tolerance in subjects with metabolic syndrome

Objective: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of cardio-metabolic risk factors. Elevated serum uric acid levels are frequent in cases with cardiovascular disease carrying many attributes of MetS. The role of uric acid in the MetS pathogenesis and the development of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) was not fully understood. In this study, the relationship between serum uric acid levels and MetS criteria and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results was studied.
Methodology: This study was carried out in 83 patients having at least three MetS diagnosis criteria recommended by National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. After collecting 12-hour fasting venous blood samples of subjects, 2-hour OGTT was performed with 75 g oral glucose. A glucose level between 140 and 199 mg/dl at hour 2 was defined as impaired glucose tolerance.
Results: The 2-hour glucose value of 25 cases (31%) out of 83 cases was determined to be 140 mg/dl and over. In the multiple linear regression analysis, it was found that uric acid level and waist circumference, and body mass index and 2-hour OGTT levels were significantly related.
Conclusion: In this study, in cases having high risk for type 2 DM, it was found that uric acid levels were related by some MetS components. Uric acid concentrations did not effect basal glycemia and insulin sensitivity.