Is hyperuricemia a risk factor of stroke and coronary heart disease among Africans?

Background: Uric acid stabilizes platelet aggregation and enhances thrombotic tendency. Objective: To examine the relationship between raised serum uric acid and subsequent cardiovascular events (mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke). Methods: This is a longtitudinal study in a small random number (418) of patients in Kinshasa, Congo. In this hospital-based study, uricemia was determined with respect to gender, obesity and hypertension as well correlated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors. A univariate regression model was used to investigate the association of serum uric acid with the incidence of mortality, stroke and myocardial infarction. Results: Serum uric acid was higher (P<0.05) in obese women and men as well in hypertensives, than in their controls. The significant (P<0.05 and 0.001) highest frequency of hyperuricemia was observed in both diabetic and hypertensive patients. Blood pressure (BP) was higher (P<0.001) in patients with hyperuricemia than in those with normal serum uric acid. Serum uric acid was significantly correlated with body weight, BP, glucose, fibrinogen, urea, creatinin and total cholesterol. In men, hyperuricemia was significantly (P<0.01) associated with a twofold increased risk of both myocardial infarction and stroke incidence. However, hyperuricemia was significantly related to a double risk of all mortality and stroke onset. Conclusion: Our results indicate that hyperuricemia among african patients is a strong predictor of myocardial infarction in men, stroke in both sexes and all causes of mortality in women.