714 BRIEF REPORTS Table 1. Mean serum population* uric acid values Men (n) Age in 6.6 = 1.0(53) 5.1 + 1.2 (4) 35-44 6.5 £1.7(26) 5.4 + 1.4 (35) 6.9+ $.3¢41) >44 Total Marshallese and sex composition statistically similar to the ex- Women = 45 the time of SUA testing have been included in this posed groups. Only persons aged 15 years or older at years of age Women (n) [5-24 25-34 a analysis. (n) Statistical analysis was performed utilizing BMDP statistical software as described in the BMDP Statistical Software 1981 Manual (University of Calli- 5.2 + 1.1 (49) f 6.5 + 1.4(68) 6.2 + 1.3 (71) 6.6 + £.3 (188) 5.6 + 1.4 (196) fstandy Rongelap Utirik 5.7 + 1.1 (64) 6.7 + 1.0(29) 5.5 + 1.3 (35) 5.6 + 1.1 G9) vate oo 3 (50) oe is S3, es * My 09) ajyu JF]. 286 Dt. “ ot 1. oe Radintion exposure (e-) High Low None 6.4 + 1.3 (45) 6.6 + 1.4(55) persons evaluated included persons tested in either or 5.8 © 1.3 (62) 5.4 + 1.5 (60) both years (n = 384). The mean SUA was 6.6 = 1.3 SD for men (n = 188), and 5.6 + 1.3 SD for women (n = 196). The normal range obtained using the same techniquein the same laboratory for an unselected adult U.S. popula- + Excluded are 15 people who lived elsewhere. tion is 5.6 + 0.9 SD for men, and 4.4 + 0.8 SD for ed alcoholic beverages are not permitted. Those living on the islands of Ebeye and Majuro are more closely women. Mean age-specific values were similar for men, whereas SUA levels increased with age in wom- associated, socially and economically, with the United en, especially after age 45 (Table 1). The cumulative frequency probability plot of SUA values for men was nearly Gaussian, but was skewed towardhigher values States. They receive no U.S. Department of Agricul- ture food. The 3 subgroups evaluated in this study can also be classified according to history of radiation exposure (5). The ‘‘high’’ exposure group (Table 1) refers to those individuals who received an average total-body gammaradiation dose of 69-175 rads, and those in the “‘low’’ exposure group received about 14 rads, The individuals having no exposure (“‘none’’) are from a selected comparison population that has an age 60 80 90 T 40 TT?TTtT ff for women. Skewness nearly disappeared after deletion of values of those women who were over 45 (Figure 1). A significant correlation was noted between SUA and total serum protein. This was due to the albumin component (Table 2). The mean serum albumin of the Marshallese, however, was lower thanthat T CUMULATIVE PERCENT 5) SUA values between 1974 and 1977 (t = 1.15, df = : 169, P = 0.25). For this reason, the total number of * Values represent the mean + 1 SD. 20 P Results. One hundred seventy persons had SUA determinations in both 1974 and 1977. The mean SUA values for thee 2 years Ww were 10e identical, > 6.0 ow mg/dl. mer!A paired t-test indicated no significant differences in 6.1+ 1.087) 5.1 £131) 4.7 + 0.9 (23) 6.5 + 1.4 (68) ia ormla FTeSS). + 98 2 4 6 8 10 2 4 6 8 lO IO SERUM URIC ACID (mg/d!) Figure 1. Cumulative probability plots of serum uric acid (SUA) (in mg/dl) forA men, B women, and C women 45 years of age and under. The oo wt wrt me straight lines are drawn through the lower, and therefore more likely normal. SUA range in order to highlight deviations in the high range. Si =