Mendelian randomization analysis associates increased serum urate, due to genetic variation in uric acid transporters, with improved renal function.

ABSTRACT: Increased serum urate predicts chronic kidney disease independent of other risk factors. The use of xanthine oxidase inhibitors coincides with improved renal function. Whether this is due to reduced serum urate or reduced production of oxidants by xanthine oxidase or another physiological mechanism remains unresolved. Here we applied Mendelian randomization, a statistical genetics approach allowing disentangling of cause and effect in the presence of potential confounding, to determine whether lowering of serum urate by genetic modulation of renal excretion benefits renal function using data from 7979 patients of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities and Framingham Heart studies. Mendelian randomization by the two-stage least squares method was done with serum urate as the exposure, a ur

SUBMITTER: Hughes K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5665684 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature