Establishing Cut-Off Points for Lipid Profile-Derived Markers to Diagnose Prehypertension in Young Adults

Prehypertension (pre-HTN) affects between 25% and 50% of the adult population worldwide and constitutes a significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases and chronic kidney disease. Although it is not considered a disease, its identification is crucial as it reflects a state of alert to identify individuals at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease. However, the difficulties associated with its diagnosis limit its use in preventive medicine. In this context, the present study aims to analyze the diagnostic utility of markers derived from the lipid profile (TyG index and the ratios triglycerides (TG)/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c), total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-c, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c)/HDL-c, non-HDL-c/HDL-c, and fasting blood glucose (FBG)/HDL-c) in determining pre-HTN.

A retrospective study was designed that included the participation of 668 young adults. A logistic regression model was used to examine the associations between the different markers and pre-HTN. The cut-off points of the markers were determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and the Youden index.

A positive and significant association was observed between all markers with the presence of pre-HTN. The cut-off values for the markers that best predicted pre-HTN status were TG/HDL-c ≥2.055 (sensitivity = 62.28%, specificity = 87.03%); TC/HDL-c ≥3.466 (sensitivity = 60.48%, specificity = 91.82%); non-HDL-c/HDL-c ≥2.466 (sensitivity = 60.48%, specificity = 91.82%); and FBG/HDL-c ≥1.726 (sensitivity = 68.26%, specificity = 73.25%).

Our study demonstrated the diagnostic relevance of the different markers for the detection of pre-HTN, suggesting that these markers may be useful in clinical practice for the timely and accurate diagnosis of pre-HTN.