Association of diabetic retinopathy with plasma atherosclerotic index, visceral obesity index, and lipid accumulation products: NHANES 2005–2008

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Abdominal obesity, a significant risk factor for the progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR), may lead to improved visual outcomes through early assessment. This study aims to evaluate any potential associations between DR and novel lipid metabolism markers, including the Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI), and Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP). METHODS: This study aimed to elucidate the association between various lipid markers and DR by screening the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database in the United States from 2005 to 2008. To examine the correlation, multifactor logistic regression analysis, subgroup analysis, threshold effect analysis, interaction test, and smooth curve fitting were used. RESULTS: Among the 2591 participants included, the incidence of DR was 13.6% and the mean age was 59.55 ± 12.26 years. After adjusting for important confounding covariates, logistic regression studies suggested a possible positive association between LAP, VAI, AIP, and DR occurrence (odds ratio [OR] = 1.004; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002, 1.006; P < 0.0001; [OR] = 1.090; 95% [CI]: 1.037, 1.146; P = 0.0007; [OR] = 1.802; 95% [CI]: 1.240, 2.618; P = 0.0020). The nonlinear association between LAP and DR was further illustrated using an S-shaped curve by smoothing curve fitting, with the inflection point of the curve located at 63.4. Subgroup analyses and interaction tests were performed with full variable adjustment (P > 0.05 for all interactions). CONCLUSION: Studies have shown that elevated levels of LAP, VAI, and AIP increase the likelihood of DR, suggesting that they have the potential to be predictive markers of DR, emphasizing their potential utility in risk assessment and prevention strategies, and advocating for early intervention to mitigate the likelihood of DR.