Gender differences in the relationships of serum uric acid with pasting serum insulin and plasma glucose in patients without diabetes

Objective. To explore gender differences in the relationship of serum uric acid levels with fasting serum insulin and fasting plasma glucose concentra tions among an adult Chinese nondiabetic population in Kinmen, Taiwan. Methods. A total of 7483 nondiabetic subjects (4265 women, 3218 men, aged 3 0 to 89 years) were involved in a community based epidemiologic study. Thos e with known or newly diagnosed diabetes were excluded. Overnight fasting b lood samples were drawn for serum uric acid, glucose, insulin, lipid, and o ther biochemical measurements. Demographic and clinical variables including body mass index (weight/height(2)), waist-to-hip ratio, and blood pressure were measured and documented during face-to-face interviews with structure d questionnaires. Results. Stratified analyses revealed that (1) serum uric acid levels were positively associated with hyperinsulinemia and HOMA-insulin resistance in both men and women after adjusting for hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, obesity, and plasma glucose levels; and (2) serum uric acid levels were mor e strongly associated with hyperinsulinemia and plasma glucose levels in wo men than in men. Conclusion. Hyperuricemia was positively associated with hyperinsulinemia a mong patients of both sexes without diabetes. Elevated levels of uric acid should alert physicians to the possibility of insulin resistance. The serum uric acid level was associated with insulin resistance and plasma glucose levels more strongly in females than in males in our study population.