Serum uric acid and risk of stroke: a dose-response meta-analysis

The relationship between serum uric acid and risk of stroke is still controversial. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis based on the cohort study to explore the relationship between serum uric acid and risk of stroke, and further illuminate whether there is a linear or non-linear relationship between them. We manually searched the database including Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and selected cohort studies focusing on the relationship between serum uric acid and stroke risk. Random effect model was used for statistical analysis. Twenty-one cohort studies involving 818,098 participants were included. The pooled relative risk for the high-vs-low categories was 1.22 (95% CI: 1.15–1.30). In addition, there was a non-linear dose-response relationship between uric acid and stroke risk. Serum uric acid was in the range of 3–5 mg/dl, with the lowest risk of stroke. In conclusion, high serum uric acid level increases the risk of stroke, with a non-linear dose-response relationship.