Associations between atherogenic index of plasma and depression in patients with diabetes: evidence from NHANES

Background: the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) is an innovative marker of lipid metabolism that has been associated with various diseases. This study aimed to examine the correlation between AIP and depression among individuals with diabetes. Methods: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2018 were analyzed in this cross-sectional investigation, which included adults with diabetes who had complete AIP and depression data. AIP was calculated as log10 [TG (mmol/L) / HDL-C (mmol/L)], and depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The relationship between AIP and depression were measured employing weighted multivariable logistic regression and subgroup analysis. Additionally, a nonlinear relationship between AIP and depression was identified through smoothed curve fitting. Results: a total of 2,813 participants with diabetes were enrolled, among whom 12.9 % had comorbid with depression. A positive correlation between AIP and depression emerged. Each one-unit increase in AIP in the fully adjusted model was linked to a 54 % higher likelihood of depression (OR = 1.54, 95 % CI: 1.06-2.23). In the fully adjusted model, subjects in the top AIP tertile were 45 % more likely to have depression than those in the lowest tertile (OR = 1.45, 95 % CI: 1.07-1.95). This correlation was observed to remain stable across diverse subgroups (all p for interaction > 0.05). Conclusions: AIP, an alternative marker of plasma atherogenicity, was correlated with elevated PHQ-9 scores and a higher likelihood of depression in adults with diabetes.