Hyperuricaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes in a tertiary healthcare centre in sub-Saharan Africa: prevalence and determinants

Prevalence of hyperuricemia among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Hyperuricemia increases morbidity and mortality in type 2 diabetic individuals. It is linked to the expansion of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases indicators, as well as being a significant predictor of coronary artery disease. It also leads to a poor prognosis and increment of diabetic complications including diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of hyperuricemia among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Africa.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. To identify relevant articles, we searched electronic databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, African Journal Online, Science Direct, Embase, ResearchGate, Scopus, and Web of Sciences. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata 14.0 software. To evaluate heterogeneity, we utilized Cochran's Q test and I² statistics. Publication bias was assessed through the examination of a funnel plot and Egger's test. The pooled prevalence was estimated using a random effect model. Furthermore, sub-group and sensitivity analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

The overall pooled prevalence of hyperuricemia among type 2 diabetic patients in Africa was 27.28% (95% CI: 23.07, 31.49). The prevalence was highest in Central Africa 33.72% (95% CI: 23.49, 43.95), and lowest in North Africa 24.72% (95% CI: 14.38, 35.07). Regarding sex, the pooled prevalence of hyperuricemia among female and male type 2 diabetic patients was 28.02% (95% CI: 22.92, 33.48) and 28.20% (95% CI: 22.92, 33.48), respectively.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review and meta-analysis showed a high prevalence of hyperuricemia among type 2 diabetic patients. So, regular screening and diagnosis of hyperuricemia required for preventing its pathological effects and contribution to chronic complications of diabetes.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO (2022: CRD42022331279).

Uric Acid and Diabetic Retinopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

The relationship between uric acid (UA) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains ambiguous, and the results of current studies on the UA levels in patients with DR are conflicting. A meta-analysis was performed to provide a better understanding of the relationship between UA levels and DR.

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched until December 11, 2021 to identify eligible studies, that compared the UA levels of the case group (patients with DR) and control group (controls with diabetes and healthy participants). The weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to evaluate the difference in UA levels between the case and control groups.

Results

Twenty-one studies involving 4,340 patients with DR and 8,595 controls (8,029 controls with diabetes and 566 healthy participants) were included in this meta-analysis. We found that patients with DR had significantly higher UA levels than those in the controls with diabetes (WMD = 36.28; 95% CI: 15.68, 56.89; P < 0.001) and healthy participants (WMD = 70.80; 95% CI: 19.85, 121.75; P = 0.006). There was an obvious heterogeneity among the 21 studies (I² = 97%, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses of different phases of DR showed that UA levels were significantly increased in participants with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) (WMD = 46.57; 95% CI: 28.51, 64.63; P < 0.001) than in controls with diabetes; however, the difference is not statistically significant when comparing UA levels in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and controls with diabetes (WMD = 22.50; 95% CI: −6.07, 51.08; P = 0.120). In addition, UA levels were higher in participants with a body mass index (BMI) ≥25.0 kg/m² and over 15 years of diabetes. Univariate meta-regression analysis revealed that BMI (P = 0.007, Adj R² = 40.12%) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) (P = 0.040, Adj R² = 29.72%) contributed to between-study heterogeneity.

Conclusions

In conclusion, our study provides evidence that UA levels are higher in patients with DR than those in the controls, but this difference is not statistically significant in the early phases. UA might be a potential biomarker for identifying disease severity in patients with DR, rather than predicting the onset of DR among patients with diabetes. However, more prospective and high-quality clinical evidence is required to confirm these present findings.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=297708.

Active smoking among people with diabetes mellitus or hypertension in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The objective was to summarize existing data on the prevalence of active tobacco smoking among patients with hypertension or diabetes mellitus in Africa. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and AJOL to include studies published from January 01, 2000 to August 23, 2017 reporting on the prevalence of active smoking in individuals aged ≥15 years with hypertension or diabetes mellitus residing inside Africa. We used a random-effects meta-analysis model to pool studies. The pooled prevalence of active smoking among patients with hypertension or diabetes was 12.9% (95%CI: 10.6–15.3; 50 studies; 16,980 patients) and 12.9% (95%CI: 9.6–16.6; 42 studies; 18,564 patients), respectively. For both conditions, the prevalence of active smoking was higher in males than in females (p < 0.001), and in Northern compared to sub-Saharan Africa (p < 0.001). There was no difference between urban and rural settings, and between community-based and hospital-based studies, except for patients with diabetes for whom the prevalence was higher in hospital-based studies (p = 0.032). The prevalence of active smoking is high among patients with hypertension or diabetes mellitus in Africa, with the heaviest burden in Northern Africa. Interventions for smoking prevention or cessation should be implemented in these high risk populations, targeting particularly the males.

An association of smoking with serum urate and gout: A health paradox

BACKGROUND

The potential effect of cigarette smoking on levels of serum urate and risk of gout has been considered by a large number of studies, either as the primary variable of interest or as a covariate.

METHODS

Here we systematically review the published evidence relating to the relationship of smoking with serum urate, hyperuricaemia, and gout.

RESULTS

Many studies have reported that smoking reduces serum urate, however, the evidence has not been conclusive with other studies pointing to the opposite or no effect. It has also been suggested that smoking reduces the risk of gout, although there is some evidence to contradict this finding.

CONCLUSION

A consensus has yet to be reached as to the effect of smoking on serum urate levels and the risk of gout.