Objective        To investigate the correlation between serum uric acid (SUA) level and the severity of coronary artery lesions in patients with essential hypertension.       Methods        A total of 538 essential hypertension patients who had undergone coronary angiography from Jan. 2010 to Dec. 2011 in our hospital were enrolled

including 362 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and 176 patients without CHD. According to the level of SUA

the essential hypertension patients were divided into the first quartile groups

the second quartile groups

the third quartile groups and the fourth quartile groups. The correlation between the level of SUA and the severity of coronary artery lesions was analyzed. The severity of coronary artery lesions was expressed by the number of stenosed vessels and coronary artery disease Gensini cumulative index.       Results        The level of SUA was an independent risk factor for essential hypertension patients complicated with CHD (OR=1.003

95%CI 1.001 to 1.005

P0.05)

and was positively correlated with the number of stenosed vessels and the coronary artery disease Gensini cumulative index in the essential hypertension patients complicated with CHD (r=0.128

P0.01; r=0.163

P0.01).       Conclusion        Elevated level of SUA is closely correlated with the occurrence of CHD and the severity of coronary artery lesions in patients with essential hypertension.