Association between calf circumference and cardiac metabolic risk factors in middle-aged and elderly women

AIMS: To assess the correlation between calf circumference and cardiac metabolic risk factors such as hypertension, abnormal blood glucose and dyslipidaemia among middle-aged and elderly women. METHODS: The cross-sectional study population consisted of 476 female participants aged 40–80 years, including 304 perimenopausal and 172 postmenopausal women. Calf circumference, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipids were measured. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the study aims. RESULTS: Calf circumference was lower in postmenopausal than perimenopausal women, and postmenopausal women had the highest rates of hypertension, abnormal blood glucose and abnormal blood lipids. Pearson correlation coefficients showed that calf circumference was positively correlated with triglycerides (TGs), BMI, fasting plasma glucose (FPG),2-h plasma glucose, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C), systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure; and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC). The group with the lowest quantile of calf circumference had higher rates of hypertension (odds ratio (OR)2.14,95% confidence interval (CI)1.67–2.74),dysglycaemia (OR1.40,95%CI1.03–1.90) and dyslipidaemia (OR2.14,95%CI 1.86–2.46). CONCLUSION: In perimenopausal women, measurements of calf circumference can be used to predict the presence of cardiac metabolic risk factors, which can be detected by observing blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipids.