Prevalence and Risk Factors of Hyperuricemia and Gout: A Cross-sectional Survey from 31 Provinces in Mainland China

BACKGROUND AND OBJETIVES: Hyperuricemia (HUA) and gout seriously influence patients’ quality of life. The current study was performed to investigate the prevalence of HUA and gout and the related risk factors in Chinese adults. METHODS: Data were collected from the National Survey of Thyroid Disorders and Diabetes (the Thyroid Disease, Iodine Status, and Diabetes National Epidemiological survey [TIDE]), a cross-sectional investigation conducted during 2015–2017. Using a random, multistage, and stratified sampling strategy, a representative sample (78,130 participants aged 18 years and above) was selected from the general population in 31 provinces of mainland China. The weighted prevalence rates of HUA and gout were calculated, and the related risk factors were analyzed. RESULTS: The weighted prevalence rates of HUA and gout in Chinese adults were 17.7% and 3.2%, respectively. The prevalence of HUA in males linearly decreased with age, while the prevalence in females showed the opposite trend (both P for trend < 0.01). The prevalence rate of gout exhibited a rising tendency with age in both genders (both P for trend < 0.05). The HUA and gout prevalence rates in males were the highest in Han and Tibetan nationalities, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that the morbidities of HUA and gout were differentially associated with age, residence location, nationality, smoking, and other complicating metabolic diseases in the two genders. CONCLUSIONS: There are relatively high prevalence rates of gout and HUA in China, which is currently a developing country. Reducing their burden has become an urgent issue for Chinese people.