The importance of uric acid high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio as an indicator of visceral adiposity

Abstract

Aim: A number of anthropometric measurements are being developed to detect metabolic risks in overweight and obesity. Our purpose is to investigate the relationship of visceral adipocyte index (VAI), which is useful as a marker of adipocyte dysfunction with the ratio of uric acid to high-density lipoprotein ratio (UHR), an inflammatory marker, considering body mass index groups and accompanying metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Materials and Methods: In all, 509 female participants aged 18-60 years, admitted to the Outpatient Department of Endocrinology, Erzurum Training, and Research Hospital, were involved in this study. Our study group consisted of 409 patients (63 overweight, 202 obese, and 144 morbid obese) and 100 healthy controls. Anthropometric measurements, including height, weight, and waist circumferences, were measured, and VAI values were calculated for all participants. All subjects had been tested with biochemistry analysis for lipid profile tests and uric acid.

Results: UHR level was significantly elevated in the patient group [10.9 (3.8-30.4%)] compared with the control group [7.29 (3.44-19.3 %)]. The highest UHR level was found in the morbid obese group, 12.3 (5.8-30 %), and the lowest UHR level was in the overweight group [8.63 (3.8-17 %)]. A moderately strong positive correlation was found between VAI and UHR in both patient and control groups, and the strongest correlation was found in the overweight group (r=0.586, R²=0.319). In addition, the UHR level was 12.2 (6-30%) in the patient group with MetS and 9.7 (3.8-23%) in the patients without MetS.

Conclusion: Since the BMI is insufficient regarding prognosis and obesity-related mortality, it should be supported with VAI, a new anthropometric cardiometabolic risk indicator. UHR might be a sensitive and accurate indicator of visceral fat excess even in the early stages of obesity and MetS.