Is uric acid a surrogate and additional component of incident metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance among inactive Central Africans?

ObjectiveTo assess the patterns underlying the co-occurrence of components of metabolic syndrome defined by IDF criteria and metabolic syndrome insulin resistance by using Factor Analysis.MethodsA 5-year patient clinic-based prospective and randomized study active versus inactive was conducted among black Africans aged over 40 years at LOMO MEDICAL Center, Kinshasa, DRC.ResultsAmong 282 patients, 1.7%, 12.7%, 2.8%, 15.9%, 10.9%, and 15.9% of patients were defined by incidence of type 2 diabetes, acute stroke, acute myocardial infarction, metabolic syndrome insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome + insulin resistance and hyperuricemia. Male gender, physical inactivity, high Hs-CRP and abdominal obesity were the independent predictors of hyperuricemia. Obesity factor (hip circumference, BMI, WC), insulin resistance (HOMA index and insulin), dysglycemia/dyslipidemia (glucose, LDL, HDL, total cholesterol, triglycerides) and inflammation (Hs-CRP) were identified and explained a total variance of 79% on Factor analysis in patients with metabolic syndrome + insulin resistance. In patients with isolated metabolic syndrome, fat distribution, metabolic disorders (WC, BMI, triglycerides, glucose and uric acid, HDL) and blood pressure were the two factors explaining 55% of total variance in the model.ConclusionUric acid may be considered as an additional component of the metabolic syndrome without insulin resistance.