The relationship between hyperuricemia and anemia and metabolic syndrome in Korean adults: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2019.

Aim: The present study was conducted to assess the relationship between hyperuricemia and anemia in Korean adults with or without metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods: Data from 6073 adults (age ≥ 20 years) in the Eighth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019) were analyzed.

Results: Several key findings were identified. First, after adjusting for the related variables, the hemoglobin [Hb] level in the hyperuricemia subgroup (uric acid [UA] ≥ 7.0 mg/dL in men or ≥ 6.0 mg/dL in women) was higher than in the normouricemia subgroup (UA < 7.0 mg/dL in men or < 6.0 mg/dL in women) in subjects with non-MetS (p = 0.005), whereas it was lower than in the normouricemia subgroup in subjects with MetS (p = 0.032). Second, after adjusting for the related variables, the odds ratio (OR) of anemia (Hb < 13.0 g/dL in men or < 12 g/dL in women), using the normouricemia subgroup as a reference, was negatively significant for the hyperuricemia subgroup in subjects with non-MetS (OR, 0.478; 95 % CI, 0.300-0.761) but positively significant for the hyperuricemia subgroup in subjects with MetS (OR, 1.765; 95 % CI, 1.160-2.198).

Conclusions: Hyperuricemia was associated with a decrease in anemia in non-MetS but an increase in anemia in MetS.