Abstract
Background: Recent studies have suggested serum uric acid (sUA) was elevated in respiratory diseases such as COPD, which causes hypoxia as well as systemic inflammation. However, it is unclear whether sUA can be used as a screening biomarker for predicting airflow limitation (AL) in a general population.
Methods: Subjects aged over 40 (5193 males and 3473 females), who took part in an annual health check-up at the Fukushima Institute of Public Health and Science between 2002 and 2007, were enrolled in the study. Participant records, spirometric data and blood results including sUA were obtained.
Results: sUA levels were negative correlated with FEV1 %predicted (R=-0.07, p<0.0001). According to the degree of AL subjects were divided into 3 groups, normal lung function group, mild-to-moderate obstruction group (FEV1/ FVC<70 and %FEV1>50), and severe obstruction group (FEV1/FVC<70 and %FEV<50).
The mean sUA levels in these 3 groups were 5.3mg/dl, 5.4mg/dl, and 6.0mg/dl, respectively. sUA levels in severe obstruction group was significantly higher than those in normal group (p=0.04).
Conclusions: These results suggested that sUA, which is a low cost blood test, could provide additional information to predict high risk subjects with severe airflow limitation in a general population.
- © 2014 ERS