ObjectiveTo analyze the correlation of serum uric acid(UA) with intima-media thickness(IMT) in elderly patients with hypertension, and explore the possible role of serum UA in atherosclerosis.

MethodsOne hundred and thirty-eight senile hypertension patients with age greater than 65 years were divided into the normal endometrium group(G1, 35 cases), endometrial thickening group(G2, 30 cases), stable plaque group(G3, 36 cases) and unstable plaque group(G4, 37 cases) according to the results of ultrasound.The clinical data of all cases were analyzed, and the correlation of IMT with UA was analyzed.

ResultsThe differences of the levels of fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin among four groups were not statistically significant(P>0.05).With the increasing of IMT, the serum levels of uric acid, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, systolic pressure and diastolic pressure increased, and the serum level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased, and the differences of those were statistically significant(P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).The results of correlation analysis showed that the IMT in patients with hypertension was negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(r=-0.315, P < 0.05), and positively correlated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level(r=0.212, P < 0.05), uric acid level(r=0.412, P < 0.05), and C reactive protein level(r=0.223, P < 0.05).

ConclusionsUric acid plays certain role in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis, and its mechanism may be related to the chronic inflammation caused by oxidative stress.