Editorial: Serum uric acid, vascular aging, and endocrine comorbidities

It is largely known that uric acid is the final product of purine metabolism, and that its increased serum levels have been directly involved in the pathogenesis and natural history of a number of endocrino-metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. In particular, serum uric acid (SUA) has been associated with the risk of developing hypertension and subclinical vascular damage (2), as well as an increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and different arrhythmias (in particular atrial fibrillation) by affecting thickness, function, and other features of the vascular tissue. As regards metabolic diseases, SUA is not only associated with a risk of gout, but also metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. The risk of type 2 diabetes macrovascular and microvascular complications are also associated with increased SUA levels.