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Associations of serum iron and ferritin with hyperuricemia and serum uric acid

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Abstract

Objectives

To assess the serum iron and ferritin levels in relation to the prevalence of hyperuricemia (HU) and the serum uric acid (SUA) level.

Methods

Serum iron and ferritin concentrations were detected by Ferene method and chemiluminescence method, respectively. SUA level was detected by uricase-PAP method. HU was defined as SUA ≥ 416 μmol/L for male and ≥ 357 μmol/L for female. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regressions were constructed to investigate the associations between serum iron/ferritin levels and prevalence of HU. Pearson correlation analysis and multivariable linear regression were performed to examine the correlations between serum iron/ferritin levels and SUA level.

Results

A total of 2824 subjects (mean age 52.2 ± 7.2) were included. The overall prevalence of HU was 17.3%. Compared with the lowest quartile, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) of HU were 1.33 (95%CI 0.97–1.82), 1.17 (95%CI 0.85–1.60), and 1.56 (95%CI 1.14–2.13) in the second, third, and fourth quartiles of serum iron, respectively (P for trend = 0.012), and were 1.29 (95%CI 0.89–1.88) in the second, 2.13 (95%CI 1.47–3.07) in the third, and 2.25 (95%CI 1.54–3.29) in the fourth quartile of serum ferritin (P for trend < 0.001). Pearson correlation coefficient indicated a weak positive correlation between serum iron (r = 0.2, P < 0.001) and ferritin (r = 0.3, P < 0.001) levels and SUA. Such positive correlations were further confirmed by multiple linear regression (serum iron: standardized β = 0.059, P < 0.001; serum ferritin: standardized β = 0.061, P = 0.001).

Conclusions

Both serum iron and ferritin showed a positive correlation with the prevalence of HU, and a weak positive correlation with SUA level.

Key Points

• Subjects with higher levels of serum iron or ferritin had higher prevalence of HU.

• There was a weak positive correlation between serum iron/ferritin levels and SUA level.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors, HL and YX, upon reasonable request.

Abbreviations

HU:

hyperuricemia

SUA:

serum uric acid

FBG:

fasting blood glucose

LDL-cholesterol:

low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

HDL-cholesterol:

high-density lipoprotein cholesterol

TG:

triglyceride

SBP:

systolic blood pressure

DBP:

diastolic blood pressure

OR:

odds ratio

CI:

confidence interval

eGFR:

estimated glomerular filtration rate

XOR:

xanthine oxidoreductase

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Author contribution statement

HL, YX, and YW conceived the study. HL, YX, and YW were responsible for conception of the study and drafted the manuscript. HL and YX were responsible for design of the study. ZY, JW, DX, and TY contributed to preparation and data analysis. HL and YX contributed to revision of the manuscript. HL and YX were accountable for all aspects of the work. All the authors contributed to the interpretation of the data and critically reviewed the manuscript for publication. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding

This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81601941, 81772413, 81702207, 81702206); the Key Research and Development Program of Hunan Province (2018SK2070); the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of Central South University (182130); the Young Investigator Grant of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University (2016Q03, 2016Q06); the Xiangya Clinical Big Data System Construction Project of Central South University (45); the Clinical Scientific Research Foundation of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University (2015L03); the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (2017JJ3491, 2017JJ3492); and the innovation Foundation of the Central South University for Postgraduate (2018zzts045).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China

    Yilun Wang, Dongxing Xie, Hui Li & Yilin Xiong

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China

    Zidan Yang & Jing Wu

  3. Health Management Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China

    Tuo Yang

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  1. Yilun Wang
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Correspondence to Hui Li or Yilin Xiong.

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The study protocol had been approved by the Ethics Committee of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University (reference number: 201312459). All persons gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study.

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Wang, Y., Yang, Z., Wu, J. et al. Associations of serum iron and ferritin with hyperuricemia and serum uric acid. Clin Rheumatol 39, 3777–3785 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-020-05164-7

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