Association between anemia and hyperuricemia: results from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract Hyperuricemia and anemia share several comorbidities, but the association between the two conditions remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between hyperuricemia and anemia. Data of 10794 subjects from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2016–2017 were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analyses. An association between anemia and hyperuricemia was not evident in subjects without chronic kidney disease (CKD). In patients with CKD, anemia increased the risk of hyperuricemia by 2-fold. This association remained significant when adjusting for the glomerular filtration rate. In subgroup analyses, the association of anemia with hyperuricemia was significant in subjects aged ≥65 years, and in those with diabetes or hypertension. Subgroup analyses of CKD patients showed similar results. In the current study using data from Korean representative samples, anemia in subjects with CKD was associated with a 2-fold increase in the risk of hyperuricemia, which remained significant even after adjustment for renal function.