Open Access Research article

The independent association between parathyroid hormone levels and hyperuricemia: a national population study

Janet Y Hui1, Jee Woong J Choi1, David B Mount2, Yanyan Zhu1, Yuqing Zhang1 and Hyon K Choi1,3*

Author Affiliations

1 The Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Boston University School of Medicine, 650 Albany Street, Suite 200, Boston, MA 02118, USA

2 Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 4 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA 02115 and Nephrology Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S. Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02130, USA

3 Section of Rheumatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 650 Albany Street, Suite 200, Boston, MA 02118, USA

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Arthritis Research & Therapy 2012, 14:R56 doi:10.1186/ar3769

Published: 10 March 2012

Abstract

Introduction

Increased frequencies of hyperuricemia and gout have been associated with primary hyperparathyroidism, and recent clinical trials of parathyroid hormone (PTH) have reported hyperuricemic adverse events. We evaluated the potential population impact of PTH on serum uric acid (SUA) levels by using a nationally representative sample of United States adults.

Methods

By using data from 8,316 participants aged 18 years and older in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003 to 2006, we examined the relation between serum PTH and SUA levels with weighted linear regression. Additionally, we examined the relation with hyperuricemia by using weighted logistic regression.

Results

SUA levels increased with increasing serum PTH concentration. After adjusting for age, sex, dietary factors, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and other potentially related biomarkers (calcium, phosphorus, alkaline-phosphatase, 25-hydroxyvitamin D), the SUA level differences from the bottom (referent) to top quintiles of serum PTH levels were 0, 8, 13, 14, and 19 μM (95% CI, 12 to 26; P for trend, < 0.001). These estimates were larger among renally impaired individuals (multivariate SUA difference between the extreme quintiles of PTH, 26 versus 15 μM among those with GFR ≥ 60 versus < 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2, respectively) (P for interaction = 0.004). The odds of hyperuricemia by various definitions increased with increasing PTH levels as well (multivariate P values for trend, < 0.05).

Conclusions

These nationally representative data indicate that serum PTH levels are independently associated with serum uric acid levels and the frequency of hyperuricemia at the population level.