Relation of serum uric acid to asymptomatic proximal extracranial artery stenosis in a middle-aged Chinese population: a community-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: Serum uric acid (SUA) has been associated with cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and carotid artery stenosis. However, data on the relationship between SUA level and proximal extracranial artery stenosis (PEAS) are limited. Therefore, this study investigates the association between SUA levels and the risk of PEAS in asymptomatic Chinese population. SETTING: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Jidong Community Hospital, Tangshan, Hebei, China between July 2013 and August 2014. PARTICIPANTS: The study examined 3325 asymptomatic participants (40–60 years) to evaluate the risk of PEAS. RESULTS: For the participants stratified into quartiles based on gender-specific SUA levels, the prevalence of PEAS increased from Q1 to Q4 from 12.3% to 29.8% in the vertebral artery (VA), and from 2.8% to 5.8% in the common carotid artery. The proportion of PEAS relative to the detected number of arterial stenosis was lower in Q1 than in Q2–Q4. The multivariable ORs and 95% CI of PEAS in the second through fourth compared with the lowest quartiles for arterial stenosis were 1.278 (0.980 to 1.665), 1.117 (0.851 to 1.468) and 1.375 (1.033 to 1.830) (p(trend)=0.0399); and for VA stenosis, 1.285 (0.966 to 1.709), 1.085 (0.808 to 1.457) and 1.439 (1.061 to 1.952) (p(trend)=0.0235). CONCLUSION: Elevated SUA concentration is significantly associated with PEAS in an asymptomatic middle-aged Chinese population, and vertebral arteries appeared to be the most vulnerable vessels.