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Updated: Jul 25, 2025
Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Association between monocyte lymphocyte ratio and abdominal aortic calcification in US adults: A cross-sectional
Peiyuan Zuo1, Ranran Xu1, Liya Hu1
1Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Background:
This study aimed to evaluate the association between Monocyte Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR) and Abdominal Aortic Calcification (AAC) in adults over 40 years of age in the United States.
Methods:
Data were collected from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). AAC was quantified by the Kauppila score system based on dual-energy X-Ray absorptiometry. Severe AAC was defined as a total AAC score > 6. The lymphocyte count and monocyte count can be directly obtained from laboratory data files. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the association between MLR and the AAC score and severe AAC.
Results:
A total of 3,045 participants were included in the present study. After adjusting for multiple covariates, MLR was positively associated with higher AAC score (β = 0.21, 95% CI 0.07, 0.34, p = 0.0032) and the odds of severe AAC increased by 14% per 0.1 unit increase in the MLR (OR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.00, 1.31, p = 0.0541). The Odds Ratio (OR) (95% CI) of severe AAC for participants in MLR tertile 3 was 1.88 (1.02, 3.47) compared with those in tertile 1 (p for trend = 0.0341). Subgroup analyses showed that a stronger association was detected in the elderly compared with non-elderly (p for interaction = 0.0346) and diabetes compared with non-diabetes (borderline significant p for interaction = 0.0578).
Conclusion:
In adults in the United States, MLR was associated with higher AAC scores and a higher probability of severe AAC. MLR may become a promising tool to predict the risk of AAC.
