International Journal of Translational Medicine · Published 2025-07-10 · DOI 10.3390/ijtm5030030
Hyperuricemia, defined as elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels (>6.8 mg/dL), is traditionally linked to gout and nephrolithiasis but is increasingly implicated in insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Epidemiological studies, such as NHANES, suggest hyperuricemia increases the risk of T2DM by 1.6 to 2.5 times. Mechanistically, uric acid promotes IR via oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and adipocyte dysregulation. Despite growing evidence, significant gaps remain in understanding these pathways, with existing studies often limited by observational designs and short intervention durations. A bibliographic analysis of studies from 2004–2024 using Web of Science and VOSviewer highlights a growing focus on hyperuricemia’s interplay with inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic disorders. However, inconsistencies in therapeutic outcomes and limited exploration of causality underscore the need for further research. We also explored the importance of gender stratification and the limitations of the binary model for the relationship between hyperuricemia and insulin resistance. This review emphasizes the importance of addressing these gaps to optimize hyperuricemia management as a potential strategy for diabetes prevention and metabolic health improvement.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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