The effect of triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio on the reduction of renal function: findings from China health and retirement longitudinal study (CHARLS)

BACKGROUND: Previous studies show that abnormal lipoprotein metabolism can increase the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study prospectively investigated the association of triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio and renal dysfunction in the Chinese population. METHODS: This longitudinal cohort research examined 7,316 participants (age range: 22–93) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), including 6,560 individuals with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (normal renal function, NRF) group and 756 with eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (impaired renal function, IRF) group. In NRF group, reduction in renal function was defined as eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) at exit visit and in IRF group, it was defined as decline in eGFR category, average eGFR decline > 5 mL/min/1.73 m(2) per year or > 30 % decrease in eGFR from baseline. RESULTS: The study results showed that TG/HDL-C ratio was positively associated with the risk of renal function decline in the NRF group (OR 1.30, 95 %CI 1.03–1.65, P = 0.03) and the IRF group (OR 1.90, 95 %CI 1.21–3.23, P = 0.02) when adjusting for age, gender, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, waist circumference, drinking, smoking, history of heart disease and stroke, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and eGFR category. Analysis of the IRF group indicated that relative to the group of TG/HDL-C < 1.60, the group of TG/HDL-C ≥ 2.97 had an increased risk for the decline of eGFR category (OR 1.89, 95 %CI 1.12–3.21, P = 0.02) and > 30 % decline in eGFR (OR 2.56, 95 %CI 1.05–6.38, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The high TG/HDL-C ratio was an independent risk factor for declining renal function in the Chinese population. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12944-021-01542-5.