Relation of serum uric acid to an exaggerated systolic blood pressure response to exercise testing in men with normotension

The authors investigated the hypothesis that high serum uric acid concentrations may be related to an exaggerated systolic blood pressure (SBP) response to maximal exercise testing in men with normotension, independent of potential confounding variables. In 4640 healthy men with normotension who underwent maximal treadmill exercise testing and fasting blood chemistry studies, including serum uric acid concentrations, an exaggerated SBP response, defined as SBP ≥ 210 mm Hg, was detected in 152 men (3.3%). After adjusting for potential confounders, participants in the highest quartile of serum uric acid (>6.6 mg/dL) had a higher odds ratio of demonstrating an exaggerated SBP to maximal exercise (odds ratio, 2.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.24–3.86) compared with participants in the lowest quartile of serum uric acid (<5.1 mg/dL). High serum uric acid concentrations are associated with an exaggerated SBP response to maximal exercise testing in men with normotension, independent of established coronary risk factors.