BACKGROUNDPrevious studies have demonstrated that serum uric acid (UA) is an independent predictor of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in general populations. This study aimed to investigate specific characteristics of UA and its relationship between UA and blood glucose and other risk factors in the Chinese population.

METHODSA total of 946 subjects were included in this study. UA, glucose, insulin, fractional excretion of UA (FEua), creatinine clearance rate (Ccr), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fructosamine (FA), blood pressure and lipids were studied and also reexamined after the patients underwent two weeks of combined therapeutics.

RESULTSUA levels were the highest in subjects with impaired glucose regulation (IGR), followed by subjects with normoglycemia (NGT) and finally by subjects with T2DM. The level of the 2-hour postprandial insulin and the area under the curve for insulin (AUCins) showed a similar tendency. The UA levels initially increased with increasing fasting blood glucose (FBG) and postprandial blood glucose (PPBG) levels, up to 7 mmol/L and 10 mmol/L, respectively, and thereafter decreased at higher FBG and PPBG levels. Compared with subjects in the lower serum UA quartile, subjects in the upper quartile of serum UA levels had higher weights, triglyceride levels, and creatinine levels as well as lower Ccr and FEua levels. Compared with women's group, UA levels were higher, and FEua levels were lower in men's group. Sex, body mass index (BMI), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), serum triglycerides (TG), FA and Ccr were independent correlation factors of UA. UA decreased and FEua increased after the patients underwent a combined treatment.

CONCLUSIONSUA increased initially and then decreased as glucose levels increased from NGT to IGR and T2DM. Compared with NGT and T2DM, IGR subjects had higher SUA levels, which related to its high levels of insulin. Under T2DM, male gender, BMI, MAP, Ccr, TG and FA are independent correlation factors of UA. Glucose-lowering, antihypertensive, lipemia-regulating combined treatments were of advantage to decline of SUA of T2DM.