Abstract
BACKGROUND The association between patients' serum uric acid (SUA) levels and sex in atrial fibrillation (AF) remains controversial. This retrospective study from a single center in China aimed to evaluate the association between sex and SUA levels in 950 patients with AF. MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively analyzed clinical information of 1913 consecutive hospitalized patients (male/female: 949/964, 68.26±11.02 years). The sample of 950 patients with AF served as the AF group and 963 age- and sex-matched patients without AF with sinus rhythm served as controls. The uricase method was used to determine SUA levels. The analysis of variance, t test, and chi-squared test were performed to analyze clinical baseline data. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to identify interrelationships and multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine the independent risk factor for AF. RESULTS SUA levels in the AF group were significantly higher in both sexes (P<0.05), especially for permanent AF. In patients with AF, SUA levels were positively correlated with serum creatinine (r=0.235, P<0.05) and prealbumin (r=0.129, P<0.05) and were negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r=-0.207, P<0.05) and apolipoprotein A1 (r=-0.167, P<0.05). SUA was independently associated with AF after adjusting for confounding factors (OR=1.244, 95% CI: 1.133-1.365, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS In both sexes, increased SUA was significantly associated with AF. These findings supported the importance of monitoring SUA levels in patients with AF and other cardiac diseases.