Evacuation after the Great East Japan Earthquake is an independent factor associated with hyperuricemia: The Fukushima Health Management Survey

Background and aims: On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred in Japan, with a nuclear accident subsequently occurring at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The disaster forced many evacuees to change particular aspects of their lifestyles. This study assessed the association between evacuation and hyperuricemia based on the Fukushima Health Management Survey from a lifestyle and socio-psychological perspective. Methods and results: This cross-sectional study included 22,812 residents (9391 men and 13,297 women) who underwent both the Comprehensive Health Check and the Mental Health and Lifestyle Survey in fiscal year 2011. Associations between hyperuricemia and lifestyle- and disasterrelated factors including evacuation were estimated using a logistic and liner regression analysis. With hyperuricemia defined as uric acid levels 7.0 mg/dL for men and >6.0 mg/dL for women, significant associations were observed between evacuation and hyperuricemia in men (the multivariate-adjusted odds ratio 1.20, 95% confidence interval, 1.05-1.36, p = 0.005), but not in women. In the multivariate-adjusted multiple liner regression analysis, evacuation had significant and positive associations with uric acid levels both in men (13 = 0.084, p = 0.002) and women (13 = 0.060, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Evacuation after a natural disaster is an independent factor associated with hyperuricemia.

Automated summary

The study revealed that evacuation after a natural disaster is significantly associated with hyperuricemia in men, but not in women. Evacuation had positive associations with uric acid levels in both men and women.