Is inflammation a missing link between relative handgrip strength with hyperlipidemia? Evidence from a large...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Metabolic Health
• Inflammation Research

Background:

• Relative handgrip strength (RHGS) correlates with cardiovascular health and metabolic disease risk.
• The association between RHGS and hyperlipidemia was previously unknown.
• Inflammation's potential mediating role in the RHGS-hyperlipidemia relationship was hypothesized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between RHGS and hyperlipidemia.
• To examine the mediating role of inflammation in this association.
• Utilizing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 4610 participants from NHANES (2011-2014).
• Multivariate logistic regression models to assess RHGS and hyperlipidemia correlation.
• Subgroup analyses, smooth curve fitting, threshold effect analysis, and mediation analysis for inflammation markers (white blood cell, neutrophil, lymphocyte counts).

Main Results:

• A significant negative correlation was found between RHGS and hyperlipidemia (OR=0.575, 95% CI=0.515-0.643).
• This association was consistent across diverse populations, particularly in women.
• White blood cell, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts mediated the relationship, with mediation ratios of 7.0%, 4.3%, and 5.0%, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Elevated RHGS is a significant protective factor against hyperlipidemia.
• The findings suggest RHGS may mitigate hyperlipidemia risk through the modulation of inflammatory processes.
• RHGS can be considered a potential biomarker for hyperlipidemia risk assessment.