Objective: The level of serum urate is generally elevated in postmenopausal individuals. In addition to estrogen, other menopause-related factors may also affect uric acid metabolism in postmenopausal females. Accordingly, we investigated factors related to increased serum urate levels in addition to lack of estrogen.
Subjects and methods: We studied 448 females who participated in an annual health check-up. None were being treated for gout, hyperuricemia, or diabetes mellitus, and no subjects had a history of hysterectomy and had never used estrogens or progestins. Body mass index (BMI), homeostasis model of insulin resistance (HOMA-R), and ethanol ingestion were investigated in all subjects, while information regarding menopause status was also obtained.
Results: Serum urate levels rose from the age of 46 to 60 years in the subjects. Multivariate regression analysis showed that BMI, HOMA-R, ethanol ingestion and menopause were independently associated with serum urate level. In addition, BMI and HOMA-R were higher in postmenopausal, as compared to premenopausal, subjects.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that menopause-related insulin resistance, obesity and ethanol ingestion as well as menopause may contribute to an increase in level of serum urate in postmenopausal Japanese women.