Background and aims: There are limited data on the association between serum uric acid (SUA) level and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. This study investigated the influence of SUA level on subclinical coronary atherosclerosis, as detected by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), in an asymptomatic population.
Methods: We evaluated 6431 asymptomatic individuals (mean age 53.6 ± 7.6 years, 4691 men [72.9%]) with no prior history of coronary artery disease, who voluntarily underwent laboratory tests and CCTA as part of a general health examination. The participants were stratified into quartiles according to their SUA levels. Coronary atherosclerotic plaques (calcified, mixed, and non-calcified plaques) were assessed using CCTA. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between SUA levels and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis.
Results: The prevalence of any atherosclerotic, calcified, mixed, and non-calcified plaques increased with SUA quartiles (all p < 0.001). After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, there were no statistically significant differences in the adjusted odds ratios for calcified plaque (1.19; 95% CI 0.98-1.46; p = 0.080) and mixed plaque (1.25; 95% CI 0.94-1.67; p = 0.132) in the fourth SUA quartile compared to the first quartile. However, the adjusted odds ratios for any atherosclerotic plaque (1.39; 95% CI 1.16-1.68; p < 0.001) and non-calcified plaque (1.38; 95% CI 1.11-1.72; p = 0.004) were significantly higher in the fourth SUA quartile.
Conclusions: In asymptomatic individuals, high SUA level was an independent predictor of non-calcified plaques, suggesting an increased cardiovascular risk.
Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Coronary artery disease; Coronary computed tomography angiography; Hyperuricemia; Uric acid.
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