Relationship between hyperuricemia and body fat distribution.

OBJECTIVE We investigated the relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) and body fat area, serum lipid level, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome in Japanese men. METHOD We studied 508 Japanese man industrial workers who underwent an annual medical examination and agreed to participate in the CT scanning examination. Body fat area was measured at the umbilical level. Metabolic syndrome was defined by the presence of visceral fat Accumulation (> or = 100 cm2) accompanied by two or more disorders; dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. RESULTS SUA was positively correlated with visceral fat area, subcutaneous fat area, serum total cholesterol level, serum triglyceride level, the Homeostasis Model Assessment index, and was negatively correlated with the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. In multiple regression analysis, the most influential factor for SUA was visceral fat area (p=0.0027), followed by the serum triglyceride level (p=0.0245). We clarified a higher SUA in the metabolic syndrome group as compared with the non-metabolic syndrome group: 6.67+/-1.14 mg, 6.09+/-1.14 mg, respectively (p<0.0001). The median SUA was elevated with increasing metabolic syndrome factors (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION The present study indicated that SUA is related to visceral fat accumulation. Patients with metabolic syndrome revealed a higher SUA.