Effect modification of hyperlipidemia and hypertension on the association between type 2 diabetes and gout.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: We evaluated the association between type 2 diabetes and gout by a retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Data of 17,259 male and 18,318 female patients with type 2 diabetes were retrieved for the 1998-2010 period. These patients were matched to a comparison group (n=34,518 and n=36,636, respectively) in a 12 ratio by age and region. RESULTS: We found that patients with type 2 diabetes after adjustment for hyperlipidemia and hypertension had a lower risk of incident gout than the matched population (incidence rate ratio, men 0.39 [95% CI 0.36-0.42]; women 0.78 [0.72-0.84]). Specifically, type 2 diabetes alone without hyperlipidemia and hypertension was associated with a reduced risk of incident gout in men (adjusted relative risk [RR] 0.29, 95% CI 0.22-0.39), but not in women (0.86, 95% CI 0.55-1.36). We found that insulin users with hyperlipidemia and hypertension associated with risk of incident gout and no sex-specific differences were noted (adjusted RR, men 1.28 [95% CI 1.11-1.48]; women 1.32 [95% CI 1.14-1.53]). Specifically, insulin users alone without hyperlipidemia and hypertension were not statistically significantly associated with gout risk (P≥.0954). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that hyperlipidemia and hypertension modified the association between type 2 diabetes and gout.