Serum Uric Acid Is a Strong Predictor of Stroke in Patients With Non–Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) are at increased risk for stroke. Hyperuricemia is a common finding in NIDDM, but its significance as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease has remained uncertain. Therefore, we investigated serum urate as a predictor of stroke in NIDDM patients free of clinical nephropathy (ie, with a serum creatinine level of 295 micromol/L) was significantly associated with the risk of fatal and nonfatal stroke by Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio, 1.93 1.30 to 2.86; P=.001). This association remained statistically significant even after adjustment for all cardiovascular risk factors (hazard ratio, 1.91 1.24 to 2.94; P=.003). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that hyperuricemia is a strong predictor of stroke events in middle-aged patients with NIDDM independently of other cardiovascular risk factors.