Association of the CHG index with prevalent abdominal aortic aneurysm: a cross-sectional study in a chinese screening population
L Zeng, N Xie, W Lu, S Luo, J LuoAbstract
Background
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening vascular disease closely linked to metabolic disorders, yet it is often asymptomatic and underdiagnosed at early stages. The cholesterol–high-density lipoprotein–glucose (CHG) index integrates lipid and glucose metabolism and may capture residual cardiometabolic risk. However, evidence regarding its association with AAA is limited.
Objective
To investigate the association between the CHG index and the presence of AAA in a Chinese screening population.
Methods
From June 2019 to June 2021, 10,169 individuals underwent AAA screening at one cardiovascular center and two community sites in China. The CHG index was calculated as ln{[TC × FBG]/[2 × HDL-C]}. AAA was defined as a maximal abdominal aortic diameter ≥30 mm on ultrasound. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Restricted cubic splines (RCS) were applied to assess potential non-linear associations. Missing covariates were handled using multiple imputation. Prespecified subgroup analyses evaluated effect modification.
Results
A total of 9,603 participants were included in the final analysis; 213 (2.22%) had AAA. Participants with AAA had a higher CHG index than those without AAA (5.39 ± 0.41 vs 5.33 ± 0.46, P=0.018). In multivariable analyses, a higher CHG index was independently associated with greater odds of AAA. In RCS analysis, the overall association was significant (P-overall <0.001), with no strong evidence of non-linearity (P-non-linear = 0.269). Subgroup analyses showed generally consistent associations across sex, smoking status, diabetes mellitus, statins, and antiplatelet drugs, while a significant interaction was observed for age (P for interaction = 0.004) and hypertension status (P for interaction = 0.022).
Conclusion
A higher CHG index is independently associated with the presence of AAA our study. This integrated metabolic marker may aid AAA risk stratification, and prospective studies are needed to confirm its predictive value.Table 1.Multivariable analysesFor image description, please refer to the figure legend and surrounding text.Figure 1.RCS analysis and subgroup analysesFor image description, please refer to the figure legend and surrounding text.