Serum uric acid is positively associated with the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver in non-obese type 2 diabetes patients in a Chinese population

Aims: To investigate whether SUA is independently associated with NAFLD in non-obese type 2 diabetic patients in a Chinese population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 400 non-obese type 2 diabetic inpatients. Patients were stratified according to SUA levels and presence/absence of NAFLD. The clinical and laboratory features were collected retrospectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate odds ratios of SUA for NAFLD. Results: The levels of SUA were significantly higher in patients with NAFLD than those without NAFLD. SUA was positively associated with the risk factors of NAFLD such as BMI, serum insulin and lipids. The odds of NAFLD were increasingly higher from the second to the fourth quartile of SUA as compared to the lowest quartile. After adjustment for age, gender, BMI and other metabolic components, the odds of NAFLD remained significantly increased for quartile 4. Conclusions: SUA levels are strongly and independently associated with the prevalence of NAFLD. SUA may be used as a useful predictor to stratify the higher risks for NAFLD of non-obese type 2 diabetes patients. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study found that uric acid levels are independently associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in non-obese type 2 diabetic patients in a Chinese population. Uric acid levels were positively associated with risk factors for NAFLD and may serve as a useful predictor for stratifying NAFLD risk in these patients.