Association between elevated carotid intima-media thickness and serum uric acid levels among patients with essential hypertension in primary care setting in Sungai Buloh, Malaysia

• Main Authors: Abdul Kadir, R.F (Author), Ahmad, F. (Author), Hamdan, M.F (Author), Isa, M.R (Author), Malek, K.A (Author), Mohd Nasir, M.Z (Author), Wan Adib, W.F (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: John Wiley and Sons Inc 2021
• Series: International Journal of Clinical Practice
• Subjects: adult; arterial wall thickness; Article; B scan; blood pressure measurement; blood pressure regulation; body mass; Carotid Arteries; carotid artery; carotid intima-media thickness; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; cholesterol blood level; Cross-Sectional Studies; cross-sectional study; diagnostic imaging; essential hypertension; Essential Hypertension; female; follow up; groups by age; high density lipoprotein cholesterol; human; Humans; hypertension; Hypertension; major clinical study; Malaysia; male; medical specialist; middle aged; Middle Aged; outpatient; primary health care; Primary Health Care; primary medical care; risk factor; Risk Factors; triacylglycerol; triacylglycerol blood level; uric acid; Uric Acid; uric acid blood level; waist circumference
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher; View in Scopus

 Aims: Our study aimed to investigate the association between elevated carotid-intima media thickness (CIMT) and serum uric acid (SUA) levels in hypertensive patients attending primary care clinics in Sungai Buloh, Malaysia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 140 hypertensive patients attending outpatient follow-up in two primary care clinics in Sungai Buloh, Malaysia, using a convenient sampling method. SUA levels were measured and divided into four quartiles. Two radiologist specialists performed B mode ultrasonography to assess the thickness of the right and left carotid intima media in all participants. Results: Participants' mean SUA level was 355.75 ± 0.13. Their mean age was 53.44 (± 9.90), with a blood pressure control of 137.09 ± 13.22/81.89 ± 8.95. Elevated CIMT taken at ≥75th percentile was 0.666 for the left and 0.633 for the right common carotid arteries. By using a hierarchical method of multiple logistic regression, compared with the first quartile of the SUA level as reference group, the odd of elevated CIMT in quartile 4 in the common carotid artery was (OR = 2.00; 95% CI = 0.64-6.27, P =.576) for the right and (OR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.20-2.00, P =.594) for the left. Waist circumference (P =.001), body mass index (P =.013), triglycerides (P <.001), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P =.001) were significantly associated with the SUA quartiles. Conclusion: Although there was an increasing trend in the odd of elevated right CIMT across the SUA quartiles, this association, however, was not significant. Preventive effort to tackle the clustering effect of metabolic markers within this study population is needed to reduce the future risk of developing cardiovascular disease. © 2021 The Authors. International Journal of Clinical Practice published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.