The Impact of Hyperuricemia on Blood Pressure Elevation in Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
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Abstract
The prevalence of hypertension among young adults is increasing globally. Although hyperuricemia is a widely recognised cardiovascular risk factor in older populations, its specific association with elevated blood pressure in young adults (< 40 years) remains under-investigated. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, the protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework. A comprehensive search was conducted across seven databases to identify observational studies involving adults aged 18 to 40 years. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to estimate pooled mean differences (MDs) in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Of the 1,165 identified records, 12 studies met the qualitative inclusion criteria. Nine studies were later excluded from the quantitative analysis because of incompatible data reporting, mismatched outcomes, or reversed predictor-outcome models. Thus, three high-quality studies (N = 4,733) with low risk of bias were included. The pooled analysis demonstrated that young adults with hyperuricemia had significantly higher blood pressure compared to normouricemic controls. The pooled MD was 12.06 mmHg (95% CI: 1.76, 22.35; P = 0.02) for SBP and 6.44 mmHg (95% CI: 2.83, 10.05; P = 0.0005) for DBP, with significant heterogeneity (I2 > 95%). Meta-analytic evidence confirms that hyperuricemia is significantly associated with elevated SBP and DBP in young adults. These findings support the use of serum uric acid as an early biomarker for assessing hypertension risk. Implementing early screening in young populations is advised to enhance cardiovascular prevention efforts.
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