Effect of Body Mass Index on the Association of Uric Acid and Glycemic Status in Diabetes in South Indian Population

Sarvesh Ramanathan; Nivedita Nanda; Sudhagar Mookkappan

Sarvesh Ramanathan Departments of Biochemistry, waharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India.
Nivedita Nanda Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry ‑ 605 006, India.
Sudhagar Mookkappan Departments of Medicine, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Puducherry, India.

Keywords: Body mass index, myocardial work stress, oxidative stress, rate pressure product

Abstract

Background and Aim: Currently, there is a need for simple yet affordable marker for monitoring cardiovascular (CV) risk, especially for the poor section of the society. Uric acid (UA) is a routine parameter which has been linked to deterioration in glucose metabolism and CV morbidity separately. However, relationship of UA with glycemic status in participants with different body mass index (BMI) has not been explored. Therefore, the present study aims at evaluation of the metabolic and CV profiles in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) with different BMIs. Methods: The anthropometric, biochemical, and noninvasive CV risk markers of myocardial work stress such as rate pressure product (RPP) were assessed in patients with diabetes with normal (n = 46) and high BMI (n = 80) compared with healthy age‑ and gender‑matched nondiabetic controls (n = 43). Results: High BMI diabetic patients alone had increased diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (P < 0.05) and RPP (P < 0.05) compared to control. Mean fasting serum glucose (FSG) was highest (P < 0.01) and UA (P < 0.05) was lowest in normal BMI DM patients. Our data show that once DM sets in UA level start rising with rise in FSG and DBP, especially in high BMI DM patients. The myocardial work stress marker RPP was highest in high BMI DM patients, and this was positively associated with increased UA level. The findings of the present study indicate the presence of increased myocardial work stress in DM in the high BMI range which is associated with a steady rise in UA level which is known antioxidant within physiological range. Conclusion: Patients with DM with higher BMI should monitor their CV profile more closely, and this can be achieved by monitoring of simple markers such as UA and RPP even in a rural setting in developing countries.