[Hyperuricaemia in males with obstructive sleep apnoea (osa)].

UNLABELLED: Previous studies showed that uric acid (UA) excretion in urine is increased in OSA patients and normalized after CPAP therapy. The aim of our study was to assess serum UA in a large group of males with OSA before treatment.

METHODS

All subjects had full or limited PSG, measurements of serum uric acid, cholesterol, triglicerydes, glucose levels, lung function tests and medical history for cardiovascular diseases.

RESULTS

We studied 260 consecutive, obese males (BMI = 33.1 +/- 6.2 kg/m2), mean age 51.5 +/- 9.9 years, with severe OSA (mean AHI/RDI = 44 +/- 24, mean overnight SaO2 = 89.2 +/- 5.4%, T90 = 43.8 +/- 34.4%. Hyperuricaemia (UA >7 mg%) was found in 56.2% of studied subjects. UA concentration correlated with obesity and overnight oxygenation. Multiple regression analysis revealed significant correlation between UA and BMI. Subjects with hyperuricaemia presented with higher prevalence of systemic hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus and COPD.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperuricaemia is frequent in males with OSA. Elevated UA levels are related to extreme obesity, overnight desaturation and higher prevalence of systemic hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes and COPD.