Interaction between body mass index and serum uric acid in relation to blood pressure in community-dwelling Japanese men

Few data is available on the association between body mass index (BMI), serum uric acid (SUA) levels and blood pressure (BP) categories in the disease continuum, when efforts for its prevention may be applicable.

We performed a cross-sectional study to examine the association between BMI, SUA and BP in a community-dwelling sample of Japanese men. Individuals not on antihypertensive and uric acid lowering medications, and aged 50 to 90 years [817men aged 66 ± 9 (mean ± standard deviation) years] were recruited for the survey during a community based annual medical check-up. The main outcome was the presence of prehypertension [systolic BP (SBP) 120-139 mmHg and/or diastolic BP (DBP) 80-89 mmHg] and hypertension [SBP ≥ 140 and /or DBP ≥ 90].

In participants with a BMI of < 21.0 kg/m², increased SUA levels were positively associated with SBP and DBP, but in those with a BMI of ≥ 21.0 kg/m², increased SUA levels were negatively associated with SBP and DBP. The interaction between BMI and SUA as well as BMI and SUA was a significant and independent determinant for both SBP (β = − 1.125, p = 0.001) and DBP (β = − 0.995, p = 0.005). Among participants, the respective prevalence of normotension, prehypertension, and hypertension was 19.5% and 53.7%, and 19.8%. The prevalence of normotension and prehypertension decreased with increasing BMI and the prevalence of hypertension increased with increasing BMI. In participants with a BMI ≥ 21.0 kg/m², the adjusted-odds ratio of SUA for hypertension was 0.75 (95% CI, 0.59-0.95) compared with normotension and 0.82 (0.70-0.96) compared with prehypertension. In those with a BMI of < 21.0 kg/m², these associations were not shown.

BMI may modify the association between SUA and blood pressure status among community-dwelling men.