Hyperuricaemia and its association with 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease among migrant and non-migrant African populations: the RODAM study

OBJECTIVE

In the advent of rapid urbanisation, migration and epidemiological transition, the extent to which serum uric acid (sUA) affects cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among Africans is not well understood. We assessed differences in sUA levels and associations with CVD risk among migrant Ghanaians in Europe and non-migrant Ghanaians in rural and urban Ghana.

METHODS

Baseline data from 633 rural, 916 urban and 2315 migrant participants (40-70 years) from the cross-sectional RODAM study were analysed. Hyperuricaemia was defined as sUA >7 mg/dl in men and >6 mg/dl in women. The 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) was calculated using the American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) risk score which takes into account ethnic minority populations. High CVD risk was defined as ASCVD risk scores ≥7.5%. Logistic regressions were used to assess associations between hyperuricaemia and CVD risk.

RESULTS

Prevalence for hyperuricaemia in rural, urban and migrant participants was 17.4%, 19.1% and 31.7% for men, and 15.9%, 18.2% and 33.2% for women, respectively. Hyperuricaemia was positively associated with elevated CVD risk among rural residents (adjusted OR for men 3.28, 95% CI: 1.21-8.96, 6.36, 95% CI: 2.98-13.56 for women), urban residents (1.12, 95% CI: 0.45-2.81 for men, 2.11, 95% CI: 1.26-3.52 for women) and migrants (1.73, 95% CI: 1.01-2.96 for men, 4.61, 95% CI: 3.05-6.97 for women).

CONCLUSION

Our study shows variations of sUA levels in different African contexts. Hyperuricaemia is associated with elevated 10-year CVD risk in both migrants and non-migrants. Further studies should identify factors driving associations between sUA and CVD risk in Africans.