The Relevance of Hyperuricemia and Metabolic Syndrome and the Effect of Blood Lead Level on Uric Acid Concentration in Steelmaking Workers

Abstract

Objectives: Uric acid concentration is known to increase the prevalence of metabolic syndrome by affecting itscomponents, resulting in increased risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases, and long-term lead exposureis known to affect this serum uric acid level. In this study, we aimed to examine the association between the causesof hyperuricemia and metabolic syndrome, and to determine whether an increased blood lead level affectshyperuricemia. Method: Anthropometric measurements, surveys, and blood tests were conducted between May and June 2012 in759 men working in the steelmaking process at a domestic steel company. Workers were divided into 2 groupsaccording to the presence or absence of hyperuricemia, and an analysis was performed to examine its associationwith metabolic syndrome. In addition, the workers were divided into 3 groups according to the blood lead level toanalyze the association between blood lead and hyperuricemia. Results: The geometric mean (standard deviation) of the blood lead levels in the hyperuricemia group wassignificantly higher than that of the healthy group (3.8 [1.8] vs. 3.3 [1.8] μg/dL). The adjusted odds ratio for metabolicsyndrome of the hyperuricemia group increased significantly to 1.787 (1.125–2.839) compared with the healthy group. In addition, the adjusted odds ratios for the occurrence of hyperuricemia in the tertile 2 (2.61–4.50 μg/dL) andtertile 3 groups (>4.50 μg/dL) according to blood lead level significantly increased to 1.763 (1.116–2.784) and1.982 (1.254–3.132), respectively, compared with the tertile 1 group (< 2.61 μg/dL). Conclusion: Hyperuricemia is believed to function as an independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome, whilelead seems to increase the serum uric acid level even at a considerably low blood level. Therefore, attentionshould be given to patients with hyperuricemia and metabolic syndrome who are prone to lead exposure, anda prospective study should be conducted to identify their causal relationship.