Elevated uric acid levels as a risk factor for new-onset hypertension in newly enrolled Japanese university students (JSH46-0100)

Hiroyuki Terawaki; Ryuichi Yoshimura; Hitomi Ueda; Satoko Tajirika; Minako Kawamoto; Ryo Horita; Taku Fukao; Yasuko Ito; Takafumi Ito; Mayumi Yamamoto

doi:10.1038/s41440-024-01941-y

Elevated uric acid levels as a risk factor for new-onset hypertension in newly enrolled Japanese university students (JSH46-0100)

Hypertens Res. 2024 Oct 12. doi: 10.1038/s41440-024-01941-y. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Hiroyuki Terawaki^{1

2}, Ryuichi Yoshimura³, Hitomi Ueda³, Satoko Tajirika^{4

5}, Minako Kawamoto^{4

5}, Ryo Horita^{4

5

6}, Taku Fukao^{4

5}, Yasuko Ito³, Takafumi Ito³, Mayumi Yamamoto^{4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Laboratory Department, St. Luke's International University, Tokyo, Japan. terawaki@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp.
² Department of Nephrology, Teikyo University Chiba Medical Center, Chiba, Japan. terawaki@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp.
³ Department of Nephrology, Teikyo University Chiba Medical Center, Chiba, Japan.
⁴ Health Administration Center, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.
⁵ Gifu University Hospital, Gifu, Japan.
⁶ United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.

PMID: 39394515
DOI: 10.1038/s41440-024-01941-y

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the association between serum uric acid (UA) levels and new-onset hypertension (HTN) in newly enrolled students (aged 18 to 20 years) at a university in Gifu, Japan. We analyzed data collected over a 12-year period from April 2010 to March 2022. From this dataset, we selected individuals who were normotensive at admission and underwent a follow-up examination four years later, at the time of their progression to a master's course (n = 2859). Among these participants, 75 (2.6%) developed HTN by the second visit. Their serum UA levels (mg/dL) were significantly higher compared to those who remained HTN-free, both at baseline (6.02 ± 1.06 vs. 5.42 ± 1.17) and at the second visit (6.10 ± 1.20 vs 5.46 ± 1.22). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of developing HTN were higher when considering the mean UA level across both visits (odds ratio: 1.63 per 1 mg/dL increase) compared to either the first or second visit alone. Further analysis of the relationship between elevated mean UA levels (above the cutoff value of 5.7 mg/dL) and the risk of new-onset HTN demonstrated a significant odds ratio of 3.39, which remained significant after adjusting for body mass index and sex. In summary, elevated UA levels are an independent risk factor for future HTN in young adults.

Keywords: Hypertension; Logistic regression analysis; Uric acid; Youth.