Serum uric acid and left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients in Ado-Ekiti

Introduction: systemic hypertension is a foremost risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Its actions are manifested on organs like the brain, heart and kidneys. High serum uric acid (SUA) escalates cardiovascular vulnerability in patients with systemic hypertension. Methods: a cross-sectional study was performed in 271 (178 females, 93 males) patients with systemic hypertension. Two hundred and seventy one healthy age and sex matched non-hypertensive persons obliged as controls. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was estimated by echocardiography. Blood samples were collected for measuring uric acid levels. Results: mean SUA was significantly higher among the hypertensive patients (371±125μmol/L) than in the controls (269 ± 101.4μmol/L; p < 0.001), and the prevalence of hyperuricemia was 46.9% among the hypertensives and 11.1% among the controls (P < 0.001). Independent predictors of SUA were class of systemic hypertension, left ventricular mass index (LVMI), body mass index (BMI) and age. However, class of hypertension was the best independent predictor of SUA levels in the multivariate regression model (β = 0.597). Linear regression revealed SUA levels ≥ 430μmols/l as a predictor of stage 2 hypertension (F = 26.620, p = < 0.001). Among the hypertensive patients, LVH was present in 39.3% of those with hyperuricemia and in 28.0% of those with normal SUA levels (p = 0.003). Conclusion: results indicate serum uric acid is positively correlated with hypertension and a reliable indicator of LVH in study population