PP.41.22

Objective: Evidence suggests that uric acid is a possibly causal factor for human primary hypertension. Early life-style modifications for the prevention of hyperuricemia might delay the development of essential hypertension. We sought to identify possible modifiable lifestyle factors that are associated with hyperuricemia in newly diagnosed essential hypertensive patients. Design and method: Our cross-sectional study consisted of 660 consecutive newly diagnosed, never treated, non diabetic essential hypertensive patients (mean age 51 ± 13, 47% female), without known cardiovascular or other systemic disease. In all participants anthropometric data were recorded and venous blood sampling was performed to determine their metabolic profile. All patients completed a validated food-habits questionnaire. Based on gender-specific upper limit of normal for uricemia (6.1 for females and 7.2 mg/dl for males), study population was categorized in normouricemic (NU, n = 583) and hyperuricemic (HU, n = 77). Results: Prevalence of hyperuricemia was 11.7%, significantly higher in males (16.2% vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001). In overall population, uric acid was significant positive correlated with food quantity, frequency of fast food and refreshments, consumption of white bread, cold meat, poultry, red meat, coffee, full fat milk products and dinner consumption, and negative correlated with fruits, juices, tea and dinner consumption (Table). HU compared to NU reported higher frequency of alcohol intake (moderate consumption: 18.7% vs. 12.7, heavy consumption: 13.3% vs. 5.5%, p = 0.017) and more than 2/3 of HU reported absence of daily exercise (60.5% vs. 41%, p = 0.023). Consequently, HU compared to NU, had higher BMI (28 ± 5 vs. 31 ± 5, p < 0.001), waist and hip circumference (94.5 ± 13 vs. 102 ± 13, p < 0.001 and 105 ± 10.8 vs. 108 ± 10.1, p = 0.014, respectively) and higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (41.2% vs. 64.5%, p = 0.001).Conclusions: The dietary and lifestyle patterns that are associated with increased cardiometabolic risk increases also plasma uric acid levels.