Serum uric acid to creatinine ratio as a predictor of insulin resistance, β cell function, and metabolic syndrome in normal Korean adults: a cross-sectional study.

Background: This study aimed to determine the relations between serum uric acid to creatinine ratio(SUA/Cr) and insulin resistance, pancreatic β cell function, and outbreak of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in normal Korean participants.

Materials and methods: This study included 14,984 participants without diabetes mellitus or gout who participated in the 2019-2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. To evaluate insulin resistance and β cell function, the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) was used. Insulin resistance was suggested by HOMA-IR, and β cell function was presented as HOMA-β. Multivariate logistic linear regression analysis was used to identify the factors affecting HOMA-IR, HOMA-β, and MetS. Cut-off values of SUA/Cr to predict insulin resistance, β cell dysfunction, and MetS risk were also been suggested.

Results: Consequent to dividing SUA/Cr into tertiles, the higher the SUA/Cr, the higher the HOMA-IR and dysfunction of β cell, and the rate of MetS increased (p < 0.05). SUA/Cr was associated with insulin resistance, β cell function, and existence of MetS (adjusted odds ratio [OR]; 1.231 [95% confidence interval [CI]; 1.204-1.259], 1.033 [1.011-1.057], and 1.065 [1.026-1.106], respectively). In addition, the group with the clinical significance was the 3rd tertile. In this group, insulin resistance, β cell dysfunction, and MetS risk could be predicted when SUA/Cr value was 8.2716, 8.8710, and 7.9762, respectively. Based on the total number of people, meaningful SUA/Cr values were 7.0175, 6.7925, and 6.9369.

Conclusions: The SUA/Cr may be a useful marker for predicting the insulin resistance, β cell function and incidence of MetS in normal Korean participants.