Association Between Low-Dose Aspirin and Uric Acid in the Elderly: An Observational Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Int J Gen Med. 2021 Jul 20:14:3635-3643. doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S320378. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Purpose: Uric acid is an independent factor for arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Although aspirin is one of the most widely used agent in patients with ASCVD, there were only a few studies focusing on the effects of low-dose aspirin on uric acid metabolism with controversial results. The present study aimed to investigate an association between low-dose aspirin treatment for more than one month and serum uric acid (SUA) with its urinary excretion in elderly patients.

Patients and methods: This paper presents an observational retrospective cross-sectional study to determine the association between continuous daily taking low-dose aspirin (50-100mg) for more than one month and SUA with fraction excretion of uric acid (FEUA) in elderly patients. A total of 506 inpatients equal or over 60 in Department of Geriatrics of Peking University First Hospital were enrolled from 2017 to 2020. About 41.9% of them were taking aspirin for more than one month, while others were not taking this medicine. The correlation between aspirin use and SUA or FEUA was analyzed, and group-comparison was performed in different dosage groups of aspirin.

Results: After correcting confounding factors, there is no remarkable correlation between taking low-dose aspirin and SUA or FEUA, but a decreasing trend (coefficients=-4.946) of SUA in hyperuricemia patients with low-dose aspirin was observed despite no obvious difference (P=0.534). Whether SUA or FEUA has no significant difference between 50mg/d and 100mg/d aspirin subjects.

Conclusion: SUA and urinary uric acid excretion are not associated with using of 50-100mg/d aspirin for more than one month in elderly patients with ASCVD or at risk.

Keywords: arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease; aspirin; elderly; excretion; uric acid.

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the National Key Research and Development Project of China (2016YFC1301300, 2016YFC1301304).