Epidemiology Study and Risk Factors Analysis of Hyperuricemia in Tibetan Monks of Sichuan Province

Objective To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of hyperuricemia (HUA) in Tibetan monks of Sichuan province. Methods 755 adult Tibetan monks(more than 18 years old) in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province were included in this study for health examination. Residents of Kangding City who received health examination were selected as controls. We measured the height, body mass, waist circumference, hip circumference, blood pressure and detected liver and renal function, serum lipid and blood routine exam. Then HUA prevalence in different genders and ages, and risk factors of HUA were analyzed. Results The serum uric acid (SUA) level of Tibetan monks was （318.03±107.70） μmol/L with the total HUA prevalence of 21.46%. The prevalence of male was higher than that of female (25.44% vs. 19.02%，P<0.05). The overall HUA prevalence of residents in Kangding City was 30.70%, which was higher than that of the monks (P<0.01). Prevalence of HUA in male monks was lower than the entire male population (25.44% vs. 41.65%) and male Tibetan ones (25.44% vs. 32.23%) in Kangding city. Among female population, however, we found that the HUA prevalence of monk (19.02%)was higher than that of overall female population (14.07%) and Tibetan residents (14.72%) in Kangding (P<0.05). Peak prevalence of HUA in Tibetan monks was between 30 and 40 years old. Gender, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR)，fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum creatinine (SCr), hemoglobin (Hb) levels and the consumption of meat were all independent risk factors for the occurrence of HUA in Tibetan monks according to Logistic regression analysis. Conclusion The prevalence of HUA in male Tibetan monks is lower than that of local urban Tibetan population, but the result in female monks is opposite. Gender, waist circumference, WHtR, FPG, SCr, Hb levels and the consumption of meat were all independent risk factors for HUA.