Research articleSerum uric acid and impaired cognitive function in community-dwelling elderly in Beijing

- The association between serum uric acid and cognitive impairment was investigated.
- Uric acid levels were lower in subjects with cognitive impairment.
- High levels of serum uric acid were associated with a decreased risk of cognitive impairment.

The relationship between serum uric acid (sUA) and cognitive function is contradictory. This study assessed the association between sUA and cognitive impairment in 10,039 community-dwelling subjects aged ≥55 years living in Beijing, China. Participants underwent determination of sUA and an evaluation of cognitive function using the scholarship-adjusted Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE): MMSE ≤17 for illiterates; MMSE ≤ 20 for primary school graduates (≥6 years of education); and MMSE ≤ 24 for junior school graduates or above (≥9 years of education). Among the 10016 persons with valid MMSE scores, the prevalence of cognitive impairment was 9.14%. A multivariate logistic regression model including demographic, clinical and genetic parameters was performed to assess the relationship between sUA and cognitive impairment. Persons with cognitive impairment had lower sUA levels than those with normal cognitive function: (302.30 ± 82.80 vs. 312.20 ± 84.01 μmol/L, p = 0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, lifestyle, relevant diseases and the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele, stepwise logistic regression showed that participants with higher levels of sUA had a lower risk of cognitive impairment (hazard ratio (HR): 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.62-0.96; p = 0.022). In this baseline cross-sectional population-based sample, high levels of sUA were associated with a decreased risk of cognitive impairment.