Aim: To assess gender differences in uric acid (UA) as predictor for hard events (HE, mortality and nonfatal myocardial infarction) in a large cohort of patients referred for coronary angiography. Design & patients: 3020 inpatients (2177 males, age: 68 ± 9 years, mean ± SD) were retrospectively studied, collecting data from the Institute electronic databank which included demographic, clinical, instrumental and follow-up data.
Results: Although the Kaplan-Meier survival estimates showed a significantly worst outcome in female patients, high UA did not remained a significant predictor for HE after adjustment. Moreover, UA correlated with antioxidant capacity in both sexes.
Conclusion: Hyperuricemia was not an independent risk for HE, and being correlated with antioxidant capacity, its elevation appears more likely compensatory than causative for HE.
Keywords: all-cause mortality; cardiovascular disease; gender; nonfatal myocardial infarction; prognosis; sex-related differences; uric acid.