Serum uric acid to creatinine ratio is associated with higher prevalence of NAFLD detected by FibroScan in the United States

Abstract

Background: The association between the serum uric acid (sUA) to creatinine ratio (sUA/Cr) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been sufficiently clarified. In this study, we investigated the relationship between sUA/Cr and NAFLD among participants in the United States. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study based on data from the National Health and Nutrition examination Survey (NHANES) 2017–2018. A measured controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) value of ≥274 dB/m detected by Fibroscan was used to identify hepatic steatosis. SUA/Cr was calculated as sUA divided by serum creatinine. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between sUA/Cr and NAFLD. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) of sUA/Cr for NAFLD was estimated, and subgroup analysis stratified by sex was also conducted. The nonlinear relationship between sUA/Cr and NAFLD was further described using smooth curve fittings and threshold-effect analysis. Results: We found that sUA/Cr was positively correlated with NAFLD status after fully adjustment for confounding factors. In subgroup analysis stratified by sex, the positive interaction between sUA/Cr and NAFLD status only existed in women but not in men. Moreover, the nonlinear association between sUA/Cr and NAFLD status was an inverted U-shaped curve with an inflection point at 9.7 among men. Conclusions: Our study identified that sUA/Cr was positively associated with the risk of NAFLD among individuals in the United States. Moreover, the correlation between sUA/Cr and NAFLD differed according to sex.