A claim you hear on longevity podcasts
Strong consensus for. Of 10 studies that test it, 8 agree, 1 partly agrees and 1 disagrees.
The claim checked: A uric acid of 9 or 10 raises the risk of kidney disease Hear it at 1:12:55
Eight of ten studies found that higher uric acid goes with new kidney disease or a faster loss of kidney function later, including two pooled analyses of cohort studies. A genetic study found no causal effect of uric acid on kidney function or kidney disease, and an umbrella review says a causal role has not been verified.
Computed from 10 studies that test this point, each judged by two readers, in full. 7 more studies are waiting for a full read and do not count yet.
“if a uric acid comes back really high like 9 or 10 i have no doubt that that based on everything i've done i have no doubt that that's not good not only does it increase the risk for gout but it increases the risk of kidney disease”
other primary study · 2008 · landmark
“Hyperuricemia was revealed as an important possibly independent risk factor for new-onset kidney disease.”
Elevated uric acid increases the risk for kidney disease. J Am Soc Nephrol
Who: 21,475 apparently healthy adults in a Vienna health screening program with normal kidney function at the start
PMID 18799720
other primary study · 2008 · landmark
“In conclusion, we have demonstrated that elevated serum uric acid level is an independent risk factor for development of kidney disease and the composite of incident kidney disease and mortality in a generalizable population.”
Uric acid and incident kidney disease in the community. J Am Soc Nephrol
Who: 13,338 US adults aged 45 and over with normal kidney function at the start (ARIC and Cardiovascular Health Study)
PMID 18337481
pooled analysis · 2014 · landmark
“Results of summary analysis of these six studies showed a significant association between hyperuricemia and increasing risk of the incidence of CKD (summary OR, 2.59; 95% CI, 2.14–3.13) in a random effects model.”
Is hyperuricemia an independent risk factor for new-onset chronic kidney disease?: A systematic review and meta-analysis based on observational cohort studies. BMC Nephrol
Who: 13 cohort studies of 190,718 people without kidney disease at the start
PMID 25064611
other primary study · 2012
“In this 5-year observational study, we found that hyperuricemia is strongly associated with an increased incidence of CKD (i.e., defined as eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 or overt proteinuria) in a cohort of 1,449 white type 2 diabetic individuals with a baseline eGFR >60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (~80% normoalbuminuric).”
Serum uric acid levels and incident chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes and preserved kidney function. Diabetes Care
Who: 1,449 adults with type 2 diabetes and normal kidney function at the start (Verona Diabetes Study)
PMID 22028277
trial or observed group · 2015
“In conclusion, SUA is a strong independent predictor of low eGFR in patients with T2DM.”
Serum Uric Acid and Risk of CKD in Type 2 Diabetes. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol
Who: 13,964 adults with type 2 diabetes and normal kidney function at 207 Italian diabetes centers
PMID 26342044
pooled analysis · 2014
“In conclusion, our meta-analysis of cohort studies provides strong evidence that high serum uric acid levels increase the risk of CKD independent of conventional metabolic risk factors.”
Serum uric acid is associated with incident chronic kidney disease in middle-aged populations: a meta-analysis of 15 cohort studies. PLoS One
Who: 15 cohort studies of 99,205 people without kidney disease at the start
PMID 24959886
other primary study · 2015
“Low as well as high levels of uric acid were the risk factors for the loss of kidney function in healthy people.”
Uric acid level has a U-shaped association with loss of kidney function in healthy people: a prospective cohort study. PLoS One
Who: 4,188 adults without kidney disease at checkups in Saitama, Japan
PMID 25658588
other primary study · 2011
“The highest SUA quintile was associated with CRF in both men and women; hazards ratio (HR) 1.94 (95% CI 1.20–3.14, P = 0.007) in men and HR 5.20 (95% CI 1.90–14.2, P = 0.001) in women.”
Serum uric acid is a GFR-independent long-term predictor of acute and chronic renal insufficiency: the Jerusalem Lipid Research Clinic cohort study. Nephrol Dial Transplant
Who: 2,449 middle-aged adults in the Jerusalem Lipid Research Clinic cohort, followed 22 to 25 years
PMID 21220750
systematic review · 2017 · landmark
“Concordant evidence between observational studies and randomised controlled trials existed for hypertension and chronic kidney disease, but a potential causal role of SUA level for these outcomes has not been verified by current Mendelian randomisation studies and even for these two outcomes not all meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials are concordant among themselves and with observational evidence.”
Serum uric acid levels and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of evidence from observational studies, randomised controlled trials, and Mendelian randomisation studies. BMJ
Who: Umbrella review of meta-analyses of cohort studies, trials and Mendelian randomization studies of uric acid
PMID 28592419
other primary study · 2019
“In conclusion, our MR analyses do not support a causal effect of SU level on eGFR or CKD.”
No causal effects of serum urate levels on the risk of chronic kidney disease: A Mendelian randomization study. PLoS Med
Who: Genetic (Mendelian randomization) study of adults of European ancestry: CKDGen, UK Biobank and four US cohorts
PMID 30645594
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