The relationship between the visceral adiposity index and carotid atherosclerosis in different genders and age groups

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the possible relationship between visceral adiposity index (VAI) and carotid atherosclerosis(CAS) in different genders and age groups in China. METHODS: This study was an observational cross-sectional study and included 1996 participants who were health examination . From January 2018 to June 2019, people over 18 years old who had physical examinations were included in the study. Each participant completed a standard questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, ultrasonic examination, and provided blood samples for biochemical measurements. Regression models were utilized to evaluate the relationship between VAI and the CAS risk. An receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was utilized to predict VAI diagnostic efficacy for CAS. RESULTS: Adjusting for potential confounding factors, the risk of CAS increases as the level of VAI increases, and the odds ratio (OR) of the upper tertile is 3.09 (95% confidence interval [CI]:1.64-5.82, p<0.001) in female >44 years of age. In females aged >44 years, the AUC of the VAI (AUC=0.610, 95%CI: 0.57-0.65) was higher than body mass index, WC, and HC (AUC=0.538 [95%CI:0.49–0.58], 0.499 [95%CI:0.45-0.54], and 0.526 [95%CI:0.48-0.57], VAI demonstrated a better ability to predict CAS (in females >44 years of age). However, this correlation was not observed in males. CONCLUSION: The relationship between VAI and CAS, with gender and age differences. Visceral adiposity index could be selected as new and simple predictors of CAS for females (>44 years of age) in China.