Effect of Uric Acid on Coronary Microvascular Endothelial Function in Women: Association with eGFR and ADMA

Abstract

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of uric acid (UA) in coronary endothelial function via its effects on renal function, other coronary risk factors and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in men and women. METHODS: The study population consisted of 194 consecutive patients (119 men and 75 women) without coronary artery disease. The relationships between UA and coronary endothelial function, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), ADMA or other biochemical or anthropometric parameters were investigated. RESULTS: Monovariate analysis of female participants demonstrated that % change in coronary blood flow (CBF) induced by acetylcholine (ACh) was inversely correlated with UA, ADMA and age (r=-0.32, p<0.01; r=-0.31, p<0.05; r=-0.23, p<0.05, respectively), and positively correlated with eGFR (r=0.27, p<0.05). Stepwise regression analysis showed that UA was the only independent predictor of % change in CBF induced by ACh (F value 4.969, p<0.05). Similar analysis of male participants failed to show significant correlations of these variables except for age in monovariate analysis (r=-0.19, p<0.05). Meanwhile, UA was inversely correlated with eGFR in both men and in women (r=-0.25, p<0.01; r=-0.59, p<0.0001, respectively), and ADMA was positively correlated with UA and inversely correlated with eGFR (r=0.36, p<0.05; r=-0.42, p<0.01, respectively) in women but not in men. CONCLUSION: High concentrations of UA correlate with coronary endothelial microvascular dysfunction in women. Further, serum UA concentration is related to eGFR and ADMA only in women, which may result in impaired endothelial function in resistance coronary arteries in women but not in men.