Prevalence of hyperuricemia and its correlates in rural Northeast Chinese population: from lifestyle risk factors to metabolic comorbidities

The increasing trend of hyperuricemia in urban areas of China has been noted in the past decade. However, the prevalence of hyperuricemia in rural China has not been extensively investigated. We aimed to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of hyperuricemia and the associated comorbidities in rural Northeast China. This survey was conducted from July 2012 to August 2013. In this study, a total of 11,576 residents from the rural Northeast China were randomly selected and examined. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid >= 416 mu mol/l in men and >= 357 mu mol/l in women. Data regarding the demographic and lifestyle characteristics and the blood biochemical indexes of these participants were collected by well-trained personnel. The prevalence of hyperuricemia was 10.9 % and was more prevalent in men than in women (15.0 vs. 7.3 %, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression models revealed that besides age, hyperuricemia in men was associated with ethnic minority [OR (95 %): 0.683 (0.472,0.989)], physical activity [moderate, OR (95 %): 0.716 (0.596,0.859); high, OR (95 %): 0.527 (0.354,0.786)], current smoking [OR(95 %):1.380 (1.179,1.616)], and current drinking [OR(95 %):0.705 (0.603,0.825)], while in women was only associated with ethnic minority [OR(95 %):0.485 (0.262,0.896)]. After adjusting for possible confounders, hyperuricemia was related to different subtypes of cardiometabolic comorbidities in both gender like abdominal obesity, general obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and low HDL-C. Besides, in women only, hyperuricemia was related to diabetes and high LDL-C. Hyperuricemia was common among residents living in rural Northeast China especially among men. Ethnic minority, physical activity, current smoking, and drinking contributed to hyperuricemia in this population.