Association of Serum Uric Acid and Microalbuminuria in Prehypertension : A Cross Sectional Study

Background: The relationship between uric acid and microalbuminuria in healthy adults without other cardiovascular risk factors may help to clarify the role of uric acid in cardiovascular disease. Objective: To study and compare the association of serum uric acid levels with microalbuminuria in normotensive and pre-hypertensive subjects without a history of cardiovascular disease or renal dysfunction. Materials and Methods: 350 subjects were included in study. All the routine investigations along with serum uric acid and urinary albumin were conducted. Microalbuminuria was detected by immunoprecipitation in a random urine sample. Serum uric acid level was estimated by Spectrophotometry. Results: The overall prevalence of prehypertension was 38.06% (Males, 39.10% and females, 35.56%). The total prevalence of microalbuminuria was 11.61% (9.9% of normotensives and 14.4% of pre-hypertensives). Hyperuricemia was seen in 10.32% of the total study population. Among normotensives, 9% of males and 8.6% of females and in pre-hypertensive subjects, 14% of males & 9.4% of females had hyperuricemia. Among the prehypertensives, those with microalbuminuria had a significantly higher (p<0.001) serum uric acid level (7.024 ± 1.023 mg/dl) as compared to those without microalbuminuria (5.089 ± 0.965 mg/dl). Conclusion: This study demonstrates a strong independent association between uric acid level and microalbuminuria in pre-hypertensive subjects without a history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes decreased renal function.